Rebecca Ann Smith Earnest Rebecca Ann Earnest, 64, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, stepped into Heaven on October 2, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. Rebecca was born on October 20, 1951, in Princeton, West Virginia, to the late Rev. Robert Irvin Smith and Virginia Martin Smith. Rebecca was surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law, two sisters, brother-in-law, and some of her closest friends as she drew her last breath. However, the homecoming she received on the other side is beyond description. She was preceded in death by her parents and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Rebecca graduated from John S. Battle High School, Bristol, Virginia, on June 8, 1969. She received her associates of arts degree from Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia and her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Lee College in Cleveland, TN. Rebecca began her teaching career, in South Coffeyville, Oklahoma and taught mostly middle school science. She retired from the Putnam City School district after nearly 30 years in the classroom. During her illness over the past few years, it has been amazing at the number of students who came to her at various facilities and told her and her family of how she had taught them and inspired them to go into the medical field in her science class! That same teaching spirit was alive and well in the local church where even as a teenager she started teaching Sunday school in her parents church plants. She gladly used those teaching skills on missions trips to Costa Rica and Mexico as well. One of the highlights in Rebeccas teaching career was when she was selected to be part of a teacher-based NASA program at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Rebecca dreamed of being an astronaut. That multiple-week program became the fulfillment of that dream in a small way. However, when Rebecca took flight from this life on Sunday afternoon, she took the space journey of a lifetime into the presence of her Lord and Savior. That was the fulfillment of her greatest lifelong dream! Rebecca is survived by her beautiful daughter, Carrie Wolf and husband Mike of Oklahoma City; twin granddaughters, Sophia Marie and Grace Madison; four step-children, Holly Smith and husband Jeff of McPherson, KS, Greg Earnest and wife Michelle of Platte City, Missouri, Paula Stritzke and husband Darrell of Tulsa, OK, Todd Gillespie and wife Elaine of Coweta, OK; eight step grandchildren, Thomas, Emily, and Amber Smith, Lauren Earnest, Derek and Morgan Stritzke, Kaitlynn and Dalton Gillespie; three sisters, Evelyn Harlow and husband Tony of Piney Flats, TN, Irvina Parker and husband David of Yukon, OK, and Glenda Dalton and husband Titus of Christiansburg, VA; numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of friends. Anyone who knew Rebecca would agree, she fought hard right up until the end. She loved life and she loved her family and friends, but most of all she loved her Lord and Saviour. She shared that love with everyone she met. As we watched the parade of caregivers (and friends) come by during her last few days, some from Bellevue Long Term Care and others who had cared for her in her home, it was clear that she had truly impacted people even in her darkest days of illness. Those caregivers are too numerous to mention individually, but her family is grateful for each of you who stood by her and helped her walk through this long illness. Viewing will be Wednesday, 9am-9pm, with family present from 5-8pm at Mercer-Adams. Services will be Thursday, October 6, 10:00am at River of Life Church, 6901 N.W. 150th St., OKC. She will be buried in Dublin, VA. Funeral Service Thursday, October 6, 2016 10:00 AM River of Life Church 6901 N.W. 150th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73142