Mamie Leftwich

Mamie Leftwich, 80, of Hewitt, passed away on Thursday, September 11, 2014 in her home surrounded by family. Visitation with the family will be 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, September 14th at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, September 15th at Waco Memorial Mausoleum Chapel officiated by Pastor David Cozart. Burial to follow at Waco Memorial Park.

Mamie was born October 1, 1933 to Charles Eddie and Winnie Grace (DeHart) Smith. She was 16 of 20 children. She attended schools in Waco and lived in the Waco area all her life. She married James “Jim” Leftwich on April 2, 1965. She and Jim loved taking cruises and traveling to visit their many friends from his years in the Coast Guard. She never met a stranger. Early in her life, she enjoyed spending time with her sorority sisters in the Texas Zeta Delta Chapter of Phi Sigma Alpha.

Anyone who knew her, loved her, as witnessed by her long time friends. She worked in Fine Jewelry at Service Merchandise until they closed and then chose to become a full time housewife and mother to her 4 children. She would show up at every event with a loaded camera and you would get your picture taken rather you liked it or not.

She would always say “some people might carry a loaded weapon, my camera is mine so you better smile”. She spent her spare time shopping, working in her yard and had an unbelievable green thumb as evidenced by the many plants she grew. She was always willing to share a clipping from one of her plants and then proceed to tell you how to care for it so that your plant was as pretty as hers.

She was the glue that held the family together with a heart of gold, very strong and very stubborn with a witty sense of humor. She battled 6 malignant cancers over the past 20 years and swore she would beat them all. She was an amazing grandmother to her 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Her best friends were her sisters.

Mamie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jim and her sisters, Alma “Boots” Flemmons, Ola Mae LaRue, and Florene Roberts and her first great-grandchild, Jolie Elizabeth Duncan.

She is survived by her daughter, Deborah Deaton, son Johnny Williams and wife, Jenny, daughter Terry Carrier and husband, Steve, and daughter, Judy Karcher. Her grandchildren, John “Scooter” Parker, Stephen Duncan and friend, Candace Grider, Jenny Muns and husband, Chris, Christopher Williams, Samantha Karcher, Bradley Carrier, Charlie Moore and wife, Kim; great grand-children, Jacie Grace Duncan, Chloe Grider, Jeven Christopher Muns, Jillian Kate Duncan and Jaylea Camryn Muns. She is survived by her sister and brother in law, Frances White and J.W. and sister Barbara Ingram of Waco and sister Tran Malone of McCalla, AL; sister-in laws, Barbara Pinter of Dallas and Debbie Leftwich of Oklahoma City, OK; numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends who were all special to her.

Honorary Pallbearers are John “Scooter” Parker, Stephen Duncan, Chris Williams, Brad Carrier, Charlie Moore, Chris Muns and Ian Coleman.

The family would like to extend a thank you to Baylor Scott and White Hospice with a special thank you to Rachel, Kim, Kay, Audi and Linda and a special friend, Mary Gonzales.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Son Shine Sunday School Class at Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Waco; the Texas Commission for the Blind in Austin or Cook Children’s Hospital in Ft. Worth in honor of Jolie Elizabeth.