Anneliese Rhein Smith

VICTORIA — Anneliese Rhein Smith, 89, of Victoria, Texas, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2026 after a long journey with dementia. Ann was born July 18, 1937 in Steinheim, Germany to the late Richard Rhein and Anna Schaefer Rhein. Ann loved family, friends, flowers, food and fun. In her 89 years, she experienced an abundance of each. Ann loved cooking, gardening and loved traveling. She had traveled most of the world in her 89 years. She loved going to the performing arts and she enjoyed cruises. She always kept her German heritage alive with her German cooking, occasional German language and the beautiful German inspired landscaped yard of flowers. She worked from an early age of 14 and knew hard work. She knew hardships and struggles being a child during the war, yet she flourished in life when most would not. She was a strong woman. She met her husband, Buel Leroy Smith in Germany and they were married in 1957 in Germany. She became a US citizen and learned the language.

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