Deanna Ruth Hampton Smith

Deanna Ruth Hampton Smith passed away on May 23, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband and sons by her side. She was a native of Louisville and graduated from duPont Manual High School in 1965. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Kentucky Southern College (Louisville) in 1968, majoring in Biology and Psychology. She worked for the State Department of Human Services. She then taught 7th and 8th grade Science in the Jefferson County Public School System, Anchorage Public School, and Highview Baptist Christian School (now Whitfield Academy). She then received her Master's Degree in Social Work from Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville in 1980. Subsequent to that, she worked as a psychotherapist (counselor) at various facilities in Louisville: Bingham Child Guidance Clinic, Jefferson Hospital (Jeffersonville), Stuecker & Associates, Psychiatric Associates of Louisville, and Norton Psychiatric Center. She also taught from January 1986 to June 1987 in the Social Work program at Spalding University. She received her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensure for Kentucky in 1984. Since that time, she maintained a part-time private practice, where she has exclusively worked since August 2001, most recently at Watterson City West until January 2006 and the Immediate Care Center in Fern Creek in 2017. From January 1980 to 2017, she has provided counseling to many children, adolescents, families, adults, and couples in the Louisville area.

She is survived by her loving husband of 58 years and 277 days, Paul Lee Smith, and their two precious sons, Paul Jeffrey Smith and Timothy Michael (Angela) Smith, as well as her beloved grandchildren, Joseph and Alayna Smith. She also leaves behind a loving sister, Karen Wilson and her son, Austin Wilson of Louisville as well as his daughter, London; nieces, Jessica and Sarah; nephew, Brian; and cousin, Kenneth (Jeannette) Lally and family. Dear to her heart were also her husband's family, sister, Sue Lewis and her son, Chris (Beth) Blakely and their daughter Emma; Linda Alderman and her children, Chad (Selena) Alderman and their daughters, Ciarra and Makayla; Kim (Shane) Morrison and their son Matthew. She also cherished her deceased sister-in-law's children, Hope and Amanda Yeager. Also left to cherish her memory are her brother-in-law, Joseph's children, Debbie Sledge, Diane Taylor, Shari Brown, Mark Whelan and Karen Helton and their families. She and Paul also have delighted over the years in their great-nephews and nieces, and second cousins and their children, whose pictures always covered the refrigerator doors. Those that she cherished as family, Dan (Shelley) Hyatt and family; Heath (Jennifer) O'Brien and family; and Jason (Nicki) Hill and family.

Deanna is preceded in death by her Mom (grandmother), Bertha Hampton in 1981; her Daddy, Kenneth Earl Hampton, Sr. in 1983, and her Mother, Mildred M. Hampton in 2008; her Pop (father-in-law), Paul R. Smith in 2007; her mother-in-law, Mary Lee Smith in 1978; brother, Kenneth Earl "Jay" Hampton, Jr. in 2025; nephew, Eric Hampton in 2021; cousin, Carol Lally in 2022; brother-in-law, Larry Lewis in 2026; her sister-in-law, Belinda May Yeager in 2005; her brother-in-law, Joseph Whelan in 2000. Also close to her and preceding her in death were her uncle, John R. Lally and aunt, Ruth Lally. all eight of her Mother's siblings from the Chicago area have also passed away.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

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