Denison, Texas -- Duressie Amelia Smith, born on October 24, 1916, the first of five children born to T.D. Anderson and
Mae Anna Christian Anderson, died on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at the age of 98 years. Duressie’s parents, Mr.  & Mrs.
T.D. Anderson moved their family from Shiloh, Texas to Denison when she was 4 years old. Duressie attended Anderson School and graduated from Terrell High School.  Duressie was a woman of faith who was baptized at an early age. She attended Hopewell Baptist Church for over 90 years. During that time she was a pillar of the church and assumed many roles there.
 
After marriage, Duressie was blessed with her only daughter, Frances Cameron. Knowing the importance of education, Duressie sent her daughter to Prairie View A&M University. Frances is a former DISD educator and a former school board member.
 
Duressie understood that life was uncertain and as the seasons change, so does one’s situation. She cared for her mother after a massive stroke and later cared for her father until his death.  An elderly cousin lived nearby with no local relatives. So, again, Duressie took on the role of caretaker until the cousin’s death. After Duressie’s oldest brother passed, she had
a stroke from which she recovered.
 
Duressie gave many years of devoted and dependable service to the Katy Hospital and later Texoma Medical Center. Each day she walked to work, clean and pressed, wearing her yellow uniform and bone white shoes. After retirement in 1980, she began to travel the world. She took multiple cruises to Europe, the Caribbean and Alaska. By bus, train or airplane she visited many cities in the US and Canada.
 
Duressie is survived by her daughter, Frances Cameron, two sisters: Clara Cosby of Berkeley, California and Evelyn Chandler of Carson, California, two grandsons: Reginald (Shaterra) Cameron of Denison and Dr. Derrick (Dana) Cameron
of Houston, TX, 4 great-grandchildren: Njeri, Khari, Landus and Samuel; plus a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
 
Homegoing services will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 12 at Hopewell Baptist Church in Denison, Texas with Rev. C.E. Evans officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Denison. Public viewing will be Thursday, June 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Hopewell Baptist Church. Services are under the direction of James E. Smith, with Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory, 637 West Van Alstyne, Parkway Van Alstyne, TX