Clarence Dewayne Smith's Obituary
Clarence “Dewayne” Smith, 68, of Broken Arrow, passed from this life on December 1, 2019 surrounded by family. Dewayne was born June 25, 1951 in Wagoner, Oklahoma to Clarence and Lera (Hammer) Smith. He grew up in Northeast Oklahoma and graduated from Wagoner High School in 1969. He met his wife, Karen Massa, in Tulsa, married her on July 24, 1970, and together they enjoyed 45 years of marriage. Dewayne began his career with the Tulsa Police Department in 1972 and held various positions throughout his 20 years of service to include: Patrol Officer, Corporal, Investigator, Supervisor and finalized his TPD career as Sergeant in the Detective Division; supervising investigators engaged in motor vehicle thefts, insurance frauds, embezzlements, and title fraud. Simultaneous to his TPD career, Dewayne briefly followed his entrepreneurial ambitions and established an entity named Motor Vehicle Identification Specialist, Inc. The company focused on motor vehicle security systems, inspections, and VIN conformity. In 1993, Dewayne transitioned his career to The City of Tulsa Legal Department wherein he served as an administrator of tort claims against the City. In addition, he conducted special investigations for the City Attorney, Mayor and City Council, and served as a representative for the City at the Prisoner Medical Committee and Accident Review Board. Dewayne later transitioned and eventually retired from the City of Tulsa as a manager of the Neighborhood Inspections Department, where he was instrumental in developing code enforcement policies. Dewayne’s hobbies included golfing, riding Harley Davidson’s, watching the Yankees and mastering slot machines. He loved helping others and always went out of his way to do so. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; and a brother, Richard Smith. Dewayne is survived by his son, Bryan and his wife, Sara; his daughter, Rebecca Ogren and her husband, Jeff; and five grandchildren: Kaleb, Nikolas, Joseph, Addison, and Jace. He is also survived by two brothers, Ronald Smith and wife, Janice; Jimmie Smith and wife, Missy; and his sister, Patsy Owen and husband, Jarrett. A memorial service to celebrate Dewayne’s life will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at Floral Haven Chapel.Memorial Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel.
What’s your fondest memory of Clarence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Clarence?
Share a story where Clarence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Clarence you’ll never forget.
How did Clarence make you smile?