Earl Fitz Smith Jr.
Earl Fitz Smith Jr. of Manvel, Texas passed away Wednesday, January 25, 2017 in Houston, Texas. He was 67 years old. Earl was born on September 9, 1949 in Pasadena, Texas to Earl Fitz Smith Sr. and Eunice Smith. Mr. Smith, formerly of Pasadena, Texas, had been a resident of Manvel, Texas for the last 16 years. He graduated from Pasadena High School in 1968. Mr. Smith later became a professor and developed the Banking and Finance Program at Houston Community College where he has worked for the last 35 years.
Earl’s great passion was teaching banking and helping his students in their career paths. He loved making a difference in people’s lives. He had a great love of literature, history and music. Earl also enjoyed traveling and studying different places and cultures. He loved riding his scooter, even when dubbed “scooter trash” by his son. Most of all, Earl loved God and his family. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Kimberly DeRidder. Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of 32 years, Donna K. Smith, daughter Brandy Mosk and husband Geoffrey, son Earl “Tre” Fitz Smith III and wife Melanie, brother-in-law Gary Siegworth, and 8 grandchildren: Skye Mosk, Hayley Mosk, Kendall Mosk, MyKayla DeRidder, Tyler Cline, Hannah Cline, Jacob Bay, and Ava Smith.
A visitation will be held at Crowder Funeral Home, 2422 Broadway, Pearland, Texas 77581, on Thursday, February 2, 2017 from 5pm to 8pm. A service will be held at the Pearland Church of Christ, 2217 N Grand Blvd., Pearland, Texas 77581, on Friday, February 3, 2017 at 10am with Keith Avaritt officiating.
My dearest and deepest condolences. Earl touched and impacted so many of our lives. Especially the young people he helped and mentored. His positive, polite and kind attitude will be greatly missed.
My deepest condolences in the loss of Earl to Donna, Earl’s children, Earl’s grandchildren, and his extended family.
As the full-time faculty member who taught alongside Earl Smith in the Financial Management Department at HCC for 30 years, Earl was a prominent part of my daily professional life and so there are, and at times will probably always be moments when it strikes me again how strange it is not to see his welcoming smile or hear a new joke he was waiting to share as I enter our offices each day. Earl started the banking program at HCC in 1982 – it was his baby – and so it still feels strange to come to campus and not see Earl “at the helm”, working for the banking program that he loved so much.
I was working full-time in the banking industry when I met Earl at an AIB seminar in 1987, and he invited me to apply for a teaching position in the banking program. I accepted that invitation, and as of November 2017, Earl and I would have worked and taught together for exactly 30 years. We got along famously, and we worked exceptionally well together, but also of course developed a friendship over the years as we learned about each other’s personal interests, families, etc. As a faculty member in his department, I must say that Earl has been a great boss to work for. He believed in the mission and objectives of the college, the value of the banking curriculum, the professionalism and competence of the faculty he hired, and the positive impact all of these could have on students’ personal and professional success and on the banking industry they trained for. He valued professionalism, initiative, hard work and the recognition thereof, and the professional relationships he forged with faculty, administrators, students, and the local financial and academic communities. I believe these beliefs and values that Earl held primarily shaped the positive culture of the department. Wonderfully, he never micromanaged his faculty; instead, he respected the strong work ethic, professionalism, competence, and industry knowledge that was high among the faculty he hired, and trusted them to “run with it”, which provided the academic freedom in which faculty enjoyed teaching and working independently and with creativity, dedication, and passion, all of which was the bedrock of the mutual respect and trust that existed among faculty and Earl. He regularly gave recognition and appreciation for good work to faculty and staff, which further supported a culture of mutual respect, trust, and high morale in the department. The professional relationships and partnerships he forged over the years strengthened the curriculum, reputation, and positive culture of the department and have contributed immeasurably to both the banking industry and the students’ learning experience, engagement, and outcomes.
Earl’s presence will be missed by all whose lives he touched through his work at HCC, but his influence will continue to be felt in those lives and in the life of the industry he loved so much. I will continue to miss Earl – a great boss, colleague, and friend.
“Good night sweet prince: And flights of angels sing thee to thy sleep!”
I am a lost for words, I was a student of Mr Earl as I called him and didn’t know he had passed away. He was a great person and I wish I could have said my good byes, I am just finding out about his passing. I will miss all of his funny stories and hearing him talk about his career and passion for his work. He always looked out for is students and said he will always work until the end. Fly around in heaven “Mr Earl” glad to have met you.
Sorry for your loss, Donna Take care
I am at a loss for words. I know there is nothing for me to say that will make Professor Smith’s family’s loss easier. He will always be in our prayers and thoughts. My sincerest condolences for an incredibly great loss. He was the greatest man and best professor I have ever had in my entire life. May he Rest In Peace.
Forever in our hearts…
My eyes are full of tears, my heart is full of sorrow. I have no words to say on this huge loss. Mr. Smith was not only a good professor but a good and kind human being. He was the great motivation for all of us as his students because he sometimes shared his own life experiences with us that how he starts his career as a bank teller couple of years ago.
You have my respect Mr. Smith, no one can fill your place.May You Rest In Peace.
Prayers to your family.
My condolences to the family and friends of Earl. He was a wonderful person. I’ve known Earl for over ten years. Earl was an amazing director and person to work under. He will be greatly missed for his guidance, friendship and laughs. Thank you all for sharing Earl with the banking program.
I took his class last semester and registered for another one this semester (Spring 2017). I had no idea I was not going to see him again. I was surprised to see another professor in the class so I asked if she was there just for the day and if so when was Mr Earl coming back and that’s when I learned the sad sad news. I was devastated and cried. I could not believe it. Such a big loss. My condolences to his family, his wife who he talked about sometimes in class and all the people who loved and admired him. May he rest in peace in the arms of the Lord!
So very sad to hear, Earl taught Teller Training to me when I was 19 yrs old. We stayed friends for years and drifted (as life does) . My prayers are with you Donna and your family. So sorry, I am just finding out … God Bless
I have read this today and it was incognizable bad. I write Earl some weeks mails and mails and I see this today.
My condolences, Earl was the BEST guest father of the world. He said to me “my house is your house”. I was so happy to see Earl and Donna every year in the past Earl was for me not a guest father he was a firend and a father .
I close earl in my heart.
Christian Mueller (Germany)
May his soul Rest In Peace. Condolences to his family