Arvazene Smith Giddens

Arvazene Smith Giddens, 82, died Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Amarillo.

Services were held on Monday, July 28, 2014, in Robertson Funeral Directors Saints’ Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Dr. Roger L. Smith, officiating.

Interment followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.

Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Viewing will be held at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount in Amarillo on Saturday and Sunday.

Arvazene Giddens, born Arvazene Smith, was born on December 1, 1931, to Victor Lee Smith and Chloe Smith in Quitaque, TX. The family moved to Clarendon, TX when Victor took over running the electric plant. Arvazene was the youngest of four children. She had a brother, Basil and two sisters, Wanda and Yvonne. Arvazene attended Clarendon High School and at the age of 16 was awarded a full scholarship to Juliard School of Music, but her mother thought that New York City was not a proper place for a 16 year old girl without any family close.

Shortly after she married Elbert Preston Smith or “Bert Jr” to all who knew him in Clarendon. Then on February 17, 1949, her first son, Roger Wayne Smith was born. Her second son, Gale Lee Smith was born on August 8, 1950. Linda, her daughter, was born September 27, 1953.

The years passed, the kids grew up and started their own families. The boys went to college and Linda married, Bert Jr. died and Arvazene moved to Oklahoma City. In 1976 the Lord put Arvazene in the path of Clifford Giddens Jr., a young believer. They married on February 26, 1977. Their life of service for the Lord Jesus Christ had now started, building churches, holding home prayer meetings, and preaching and singing any place that the Lord would open to them. They shared the Gospel of Jesus in Oklahoma City, Atlanta, GA, Jamaica, and Brussels, Belgium in coffee houses, under bridges to the homeless and in nursing homes. This was their lives for 37 years until God called Arvazene home on July 24. Arvazene was the embodiment of Christian love and grace to all who knew her.

Arvazene was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sisters, her first husband Bert Jr, her daughter Linda, and one great-grandson Jamon Lee Cox.

Arvazene is survived by her husband, Clifford B. Giddens Jr. of Amarillo, two sons, Roger Wayne Smith and wife Karon of Amarillo, and Gale Lee Smith and wife Charlotte of Oklahoma City, four grandsons, Michael Arnold, Jason Smith, Dr. Roger L. Smith, and Elias Verdalette, five granddaughters, Tiffany Shadle, Stacy Oldfield, Charisa Bryant, Christy Cox, and Alyisha Sutherland, 19 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Arvazene also loved her 3 step-grandsons, Scott Cordell, Ronnie Cordell, and Cole Cordell, her 7 step-great grandchildren, and her 5 step-great-great grandchildren.