A special reunion was held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, for the three sisters of painter Donald Lanier Smith. The sisters are also the great grandnieces of Lonnie Littlejohn, designer and builder of the Freestone County Museum’s (FCHM) Littlejohn house from Shanks.

The sisters, Sherry Matthews, Susan Hodges, and Nancy Norman, met for this special event at the Methodist Church in Wortham, where one of Donald’s murals hangs.

This reunion came to be because at a recent Freestone County Historical Council meeting where a program presented by Mary Jane McReynolds about the Methodist Church in Wortham, it was learned by FCHM Curator Patricia Pratt, and Board President Linda Mullen, that a mural has hung on the church’s wall since 1951, painted by the child painter at the age of 16.

Patricia and Linda put two-and-two together after recognizing the name as being the relative that had painted portraits which also hung in the Littlejohn house.

It was a great surprise when family members were contacted and learned about newly discovered artwork painted by their deceased brother were located in Freestone County.

The reunion was scheduled at that time for the sisters to visit the church in Wortham to view the mural, painted by their brother 74 years ago.

Donald Lanier Smith was one of many children born to his family. As children, their mother was left to raise them, which she was unable to do alone. The three girls came to live in Teague (Shanks Community) with a family, and the boys were sent to live at the Waco State Home.

At an early age, Donald showed great interest in drawing and painting. Former Wortham resident, Mrs. Zena Hackney, served as a matron in the home and was the first to foster Donald’s talent. Lacking proper materials, she allowed him to paint the window shades and then the walls.

Donald was soon commissioned to paint the 7×14 foot mural, Christ in His Father’s Workshop, in the Youth and Children’s Department at Wortham’s Methodist Church by Bill and Martha Eckhardt, who had met Donald during a visit to the Waco State Home.

A 1951 newspaper article from the Worthan Journal talks about the mural and its dedication. You can read the article at https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1111299/.