Truman Paul Smith

Truman Paul Smith passed away March 23, 2020 at 12:33 a.m. He is survived by his wife Karen Kay Hogan and his son Lucian Taylor Hogan Smith of San Antonio, TX.
Truman was born April 29, 1939 in Spur, Texas to Marvin Brown Smith and Vallie Oree Moore. His siblings, Iris M. Smith Palmer and Marvin Burley Smith, predeceased him.
Truman graduated from Memphis High School in the Texas panhandle. He attended Texas Tech University where he studied Landscape Architecture and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. At the conclusion of his studies, Truman traveled to Brazil to work for the International Agency for Development in Minas de Gerais.
After returning to the U.S. from Brazil, Truman and Jan Pfluger lived in New York City for several years where he worked as a bank teller for a branch of a Brazilian Bank. He and Jan returned to San Angelo, Texas where they owned a woman’s clothing store and Truman had his landscape architecture practice. They moved to San Antonio. After Jan passed away in 1977, Truman began to travel to Mexico. He rented a weekend house in Muzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico and became proficient in Spanish. He collected an assortment of Mexican Handcraft art.
Truman was a Licensed Landscape Architect, #456 Emeritus. Truman worked at the UT Health Science Center. Many of the trees on the campus were selected by him over forty-five years ago.
In 1991 while working at the San Antonio State Hospital he met Karen Hogan. They married October 31, 1992. Lucian joined the family in 1998. The family enjoyed traveling, road trips, camping with Boy Scouts. Truman raised livestock in Atascosa County, and he worked for Alfaro Tree Sales and attended many horticulture conventions and trade shows around the nation. After retiring, due to the onset of Parkinson’s disease, Truman enjoyed listening to the radio, gardening exotic plants, and keeping in touch with his lifelong friends from college and Mexico. His knowledge of botanical names for plants was amazing. He brought joy and laughter to our lives.
“There is no one in this whole world like Truman-ever, ever.” Naomi Nye.
He will be missed.
He is also survived by his mother-in-law Estelle Liebe Hogan, of San Antonio, niece Latisha Noble of New Braunfels, her son Derek Franco and his son Zayden Franco and nephew Blake Noble and his wife Kayla Noble of Maxwell, TX, and their children Logan and Madelyn. He is survived by his nephew Alan Palmer and his wife Esther Palmer of Lawton OK, and their children James, Kara Palmer, Mark Palmer his wife Amanda, nephew Hal Palmer of Canyon Lake, TX. Truman is survived by first cousins Sandy Smith and his wife Sherri of Lakeview TX, Ben Ed Hillhouse and his wife Lee Ann of Wheeler Texas, Amy Hillhouse Godfrey and her husband Pat, and family in Memphis, TX, Joe M. Hillhouse and his wife Carol of Panhandle, TX, Warren Lee Merrell and his wife Maria and family of Quitaque, TX, Jerry Merrell DDS of Solvang, CA along with numerous Smith, Brown, Moore and Dooley cousins.
Memorials may be given in his honor to Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, 227 W. Woodlawn Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 or a charity of your choice.
A private memorial service will be Sunday June 28 at 3:00 pm at Laurel Heights UMC.