- Born on: January 18, 1925
- Departed on: August 15, 2017
- Resided in: Elk Horn, IA
Lou Etta Madeline Smith
Lou Etta Madeline (Craven) Smith was born on January 18, 1925 to Harold Willis and Lesta Inez (Burgess) Craven in Jewell County Kansas, near the tiny town of Northbranch. She passed away on August 15, 2017 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn Iowa.
Memorial Services will be held at the Stuart-Mt.Vernon United Methodist Church on Saturday, August 26th with visitation from 9:00-10:30. Funeral services following visitation. Interment will take place at Rose Hill Cemetery north of Menlo, Iowa following the luncheon.
The family moved from Kansas to Menlo, Iowa in 1926. She attended school in Menlo and graduated from Menlo High School in 1943. She attended Capital City Commercial College obtaining her Secretarial degree. She worked at Allied Mutual Insurance Company until 1946.
On June 6, 1945 Lou Etta and Clarence E. (Kay) Smith were married at her parent's home. Two children were born to this union.
In 1946 Kay was honorably discharged from the United Sates Navy, and they moved to the Adair county family farm where they lived until Kay's death in 2003. Lou Etta relocated to Stuart until 2013 when she moved to Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa.
Lou Etta was a lifelong member of the Jefferson Center church where she played the piano and organ. She was also a member later in life of the Stuart Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. She was an active member of the Menlo Legion Auxiliary, Glover-Butler Post, Unit 511. They enjoyed card clubs with friends and neighbors and camping at the State Fair and with the grandkids.
She worked at several positions over the years after her children were in school: the USDA in Greenfield, The Dexter Clinic, Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and First State Bank in Stuart until retiring in 1996. She and Kay worked in retirement at both the Stuart & Perry sale barns.
She was a wonderful cook, as all the family has memories and stories of holiday and other family gatherings at the farm. Her creme puffs were legendary along with her cinnamon rolls. The grandkids would say they enjoyed many a Banana Malt and chocolate chip cookie. There were many life and cooking lessons at the kitchen table with Grandma Lou or Auntie Lou as she was also known.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, her step father Gerald Michael, her husband, brothers in law and sisters in law, Carl and Margaret Smith, and Howard & Betty Smith.
She is survived by her daughter Cindra (Jim) Heilesen of Kimballton, her son Monty (Cindy) Smith, of Earlham. Her grandchildren Rusty Schneider of Menlo, Mike (Kari) Schneider, Stuart, Stacy (Neil) Andersen of Elk Horn, Josh Smith (Earlham), Jennifer Smith and fiancé Charles Herrick of Earlham, Tonia Lozano, Elk Horn and Tiera Geisinger, South Coffeyville, OK. Eleven great -grandchildren. Nine great-great-grandchildren. A sister, Willa (Kenneth) Thompson, Klammath Falls, OR; And many nieces and nephews.
Memorial Services will be held at the Stuart-Mt.Vernon United Methodist Church on Saturday, August 26th with visitation from 9:00-10:30. Funeral services following visitation. Interment will take place at Rose Hill Cemetery north of Menlo, Iowa following the luncheon.
The family moved from Kansas to Menlo, Iowa in 1926. She attended school in Menlo and graduated from Menlo High School in 1943. She attended Capital City Commercial College obtaining her Secretarial degree. She worked at Allied Mutual Insurance Company until 1946.
On June 6, 1945 Lou Etta and Clarence E. (Kay) Smith were married at her parent's home. Two children were born to this union.
In 1946 Kay was honorably discharged from the United Sates Navy, and they moved to the Adair county family farm where they lived until Kay's death in 2003. Lou Etta relocated to Stuart until 2013 when she moved to Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa.
Lou Etta was a lifelong member of the Jefferson Center church where she played the piano and organ. She was also a member later in life of the Stuart Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. She was an active member of the Menlo Legion Auxiliary, Glover-Butler Post, Unit 511. They enjoyed card clubs with friends and neighbors and camping at the State Fair and with the grandkids.
She worked at several positions over the years after her children were in school: the USDA in Greenfield, The Dexter Clinic, Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and First State Bank in Stuart until retiring in 1996. She and Kay worked in retirement at both the Stuart & Perry sale barns.
She was a wonderful cook, as all the family has memories and stories of holiday and other family gatherings at the farm. Her creme puffs were legendary along with her cinnamon rolls. The grandkids would say they enjoyed many a Banana Malt and chocolate chip cookie. There were many life and cooking lessons at the kitchen table with Grandma Lou or Auntie Lou as she was also known.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, her step father Gerald Michael, her husband, brothers in law and sisters in law, Carl and Margaret Smith, and Howard & Betty Smith.
She is survived by her daughter Cindra (Jim) Heilesen of Kimballton, her son Monty (Cindy) Smith, of Earlham. Her grandchildren Rusty Schneider of Menlo, Mike (Kari) Schneider, Stuart, Stacy (Neil) Andersen of Elk Horn, Josh Smith (Earlham), Jennifer Smith and fiancé Charles Herrick of Earlham, Tonia Lozano, Elk Horn and Tiera Geisinger, South Coffeyville, OK. Eleven great -grandchildren. Nine great-great-grandchildren. A sister, Willa (Kenneth) Thompson, Klammath Falls, OR; And many nieces and nephews.
