Belinda Lea Smith

Belinda Lea Smith of Keller, who had a fascinating career in law enforcement, died Thursday, December 8.
Her journey began with a position in the Baytown Police Department, then the Houston Police Department’s Organized Crime Section. She later became an analyst with the Drug Enforcement Administration and traveled all over the United States and extensively in Central and South America before retirement.
Belinda often said, “I enjoy being at home diggin’ in the dirt,” developing her gardening hobby. On weekends, Belinda and her husband, Steve Ward, enjoyed concerts, home projects, and frequenting many flea markets and the big box stores.
Steve and her late son Derek are the loves of her life. Since Derek died of Covid, her concentration has been with her two granddaughters, Allison, 13, and Emma, 10. She fought her long battle with cancer in order to spend more time with her husband and granddaughters.
Even when she wasn’t feeling well, she enjoyed attending the Granddaughters’ Grandparents Day at school and often had them over for weekly visits in the summer.
Belinda is survived by her husband, Steve Ward; daughter-in-law Shanti Ashley Bingham; granddaughters, Allison May Bingham and Emma Sophia Bingham; two sisters, Suzanne Smith and husband, Sam, of Beaumont; Charlotte Moore of San Antonio; brother-in-laws Jay Ward and Kathy of Minneapolis, Minn., and Eric Ward and Laura of Windom, Minnesota; Nephew Samuel Smith of Austin.
Visitation is 6-8 pm Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at Lucas Funeral Home with Graveside services 2:00 pm Thursday at Bourland Cemetery in Keller, TX