Ralph Wayne Smith's Obituary
Ralph Wayne Smith, January 1st, 1939 - December 5th, 2025
It is with profound sorrow and loving remembrance that we announce the passing of Ralph Wayne Smith, who transitioned from this life on December 5th, 2025, in Mansfield, Texas, at the age of 86. Ralph was born on January 12th in Phillips, TX, to Ray Delbert Smith and Ruby Juanita Smith. He was raised in Phillips, TX, and attended Phillips High School, where he was a decorated football player and beloved by his classmates. He received a full ride scholarship to play football at Texas A&M University from 1958-1961. He played Defensive End and Tight End during his playing career. These experiences led to many of his lifelong friends and shaped him into the man he was. Throughout his life, Ralph was known for his unwavering loyalty, determination, generosity, and strength. He enjoyed staying active throughout his early years, whether that was jogging, working in the yard, or playing racquetball/handball with his buddies. As he got older, he truly enjoyed going back home to Phillips for reunions, staying in touch with as many as he could, and traveling to various destinations. He was a regular donor to many charities, including the MS Foundation, Wounded Warriors, and several others. He made a lasting impact on all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Ralph dedicated his professional life to three separate careers. His first career was in coaching, after he finished his playing career at A&M. His first stops were at Odessa High School and Orange High School, before returning to Texas A&M to coach for a number of years, where he was part of the 1967 SWC Championship staff. After his tenure at Texas A&M, he found other opportunities at Tulane University and Wake Forest University for one season each, where he won the ACC Championship with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His last coaching stop was at Texas Christian University, where he coached the longest. Once he was done coaching, he had a brief stint as a professional football scout for a third-party agency before the NFL teams had their own in-house scouting departments. His third and final career was in steel/oil & gas pipe sales. His longest position was a Regional Sales Manager for Bourland & Leverich Supply Company. He retired at the ripe age of 77 because he loved what he did and all the friends he met along the way. He was admired for his work ethic, leadership, and customer relations during his professional career.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ray Delbert, his mother, Ruby Juanita, his sister, Cora Lee, and his brother, Donald Ralph.
He leaves behind his son, Cameron, his daughter-in-law, Taylor, and his two granddaughters, whom he loved dearly. Ralph was also loved by his nieces, Jan, Sharon, and Jill; his sister-in-law, Lillian; his nephew, Wayne; his wife, Virginia; and his two children, Asher and Parker. There are too many others to name whom he made a lasting impact on, and he will be greatly missed by them all.
A celebration of life service honoring the life of Ralph Wayne Smith will be held on January 10th, 2026, at 1 pm at Mansfield Funeral Home & Cremation.
Internment will be at a later date, where he will be buried alongside his family in Mulhall, Oklahoma. The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude for all expressions of love, prayers, and support during this time.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to one of the two charities: MS Foundation in honor of his late sister, Cora Lee, or Wounded Warriors, as he firmly believed in that cause.
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