Mildred Frances Smith
February 26, 1931 - January 18, 2026
Mildred Frances Schockman Smith, a longtime resident and business owner of Ponca City, passed away on January 18, 2026, at the age of 94. Mildred was born on February 26, 1931, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, to Herman Henry Schockman and Nellie Mae Manning Schockman. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601.
In 1932, the family moved to Ponca City when Herman began his 45-year career with Continental Oil Company. She attended Jefferson and Roosevelt Elementary Schools, East Junior High, and graduated from Ponca City High School in 1949.
As a child, Mildred participated with her mother, Nellie in many activities, including Camp Fire, Girls Auxiliary, Sunday School, and piano lessons. Later in life, she supported her children's school activities, including involvement with the Lincoln Elementary PTA. Mildred had a love for piano music and loved to play the classic church hymns so her friends and family could sing along with her right up to the age of 94. She also enjoyed cheering on her children and grandchildren at the local baseball fields. After high school, Mildred pursued her interest in business by attending Ponca City Business College and later worked at Brodus-Goff Insurance.
Mildred married Robert Smith on July 7, 1950, in a double wedding with H.D. Harman and Marcena Davis. The ceremony was held in Winfield due to the January 1950 fire at First Baptist Church. Mildred became a member of Northeast Baptist Church in 1973, where she enjoyed working with eight-year-old children in Sunday School and served on various committees. She and Robert also volunteered on the funeral dinner committee for ten years. At the time of Robert's passing in 2010, they had been married 59 years and 10 months.
Mildred loved genealogy and was an active member of the Pioneer Genealogical Society of Ponca City for over 40 years. Mildred was able to track her Schockman family roots backs to Germany and over the years traveled to Germany to visit family and tour the country. Mildred was also very active in the North Central Oklahoma Historical Society and was involved in many projects. In the early 1990'S she helped with the planning and gathering of information for the book "Rooted in the Past, Growing for the Future" which was published in 1995 through the historical society. She was also a member for the Soroptimist International of Ponca City and worked on many events over the years.
Robert and Mildred began their family's involvement in mattress production while working for his uncle and aunt, Jim and Clara Trible, at the Ponca City Mattress Company on North Union Street. In 1953, they opened Smith Upholstery and Refinishing and remained self-employed throughout their careers. In 1974, they purchased the Ponca City Mattress Company from the Tribles, which later became Smith Home Furnishings, located on North 14th Street and owned by their son Larry Smith.
Robert and Mildred had three children-Karen, Larry, and Roger-all of whom worked in the family business over the years. Their grandchildren-Eric, Ryan, Kyle, and Jason-also spent many years working alongside the family.
Mildred is survived by her daughter, Karen Hunter, and her husband, Keith, of Ponca City; her son, Larry Smith, and his wife, Charlotte, of Ponca City; and her son, Roger Smith, and his wife, Lisa, of Farmington, Minnesota. She is also survived by her grandsons-Eric, Jason, Ryan, and Kyle Smith-and her great-grandchildren: Kinnah, Cal, Matthew, Joshua, Noah, Callan, and Amelia.
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