Obituary for Mary Ellen Smith

Funeral Services for Mary Smith, 83, of West Des Moines, Iowa (formerly of Greene) will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greene, Iowa on February 15, 2024 with Reverend Frantz Augustin presiding. The service will begin at 10:30 AM with visitation at the church prior to the service from 9:15 AM-10:15 AM. Burial will be at a later date in Ruthven, Iowa at the Calvary Cemetery.

Mary Ellen Finnegan was born March 26, 1940, the 9th of 16 children born to George and Ruth (Meyers) Finnegan, and passed away on February 9, 2024 at her home in West Des Moines. She received her education in public school, graduating from Ruthven High School in 1958. ‘Moone’ worked behind the soda fountain at her brother’s drug store, and you could also find her on the basketball court as an All-State guard playing in the Sweet Sixteen Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament her senior year.

Mary was united in marriage to Duane R. Pitcher in 1959. They were blessed with three children. They lived in Sioux City, Iowa and San Jose, California until Duane’s death in 1964. Mary returned to Ruthven with her children and worked at the Savings and Loan in Emmetsburg. She was married to Edward P. Smith on August 29, 1969 in St. James, Minnesota. To this union one daughter was born. Ed also brought two daughters to the family from a previous marriage.

Ed and Mary moved to Greene in 1970 where they lived until Ed’s death in 2019. Mary worked for Vicker’s Law Office, the Greene Public Library, and Rottler Farms. Her focus was always on her faith, family, and friends. She was a devoted member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greene, Sacred Heart Church in West Des Moines, and Catholic Daughters. For many years she served as secretary to the Parish Health Program and treasurer of Catholic Daughters. As her children went through school, she served as a den mother, cheerleading sponsor, a member of Music Parents, and attended all of their sporting and fine arts events. Mary was an avid supporter of the library, leader of the Library Teen board, Friends of the Library, and served on the Board of Directors for 21 years, serving as vice-president for 12 of those years. She was also a very active member in the community and a recipient of the ‘Spirit of Greene’ award, a part of the Greene Betterment Council, and served meals at the Senior Center. Most of all Mary loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family and friends. Mary was a model of quiet strength and resiliency. She was someone everyone could talk to, and she formed many special bonds and relationships over the years. She was a kind and generous spirit who always saw the good in others.

Living family members include her six children: Jo (Curt) Jorpeland, Kyle, Texas; Vicki (Steven) Rand, S. Padre Island, Texas; Jo Ellen (GK) Latham, Prairie City, Iowa; Duane (Raveevun ‘Oye’) Pitcher, Ames, Iowa; Daniel (Margaret McCoy) Pitcher, West Des Moines, Iowa; Melissa (Tim) Harris, West Des Moines, Iowa; 12 grandchildren: Camron Jorpeland, Ryan Jorpeland; Devan (Jeffrey) Rocco, Dalton (Brooke) Gray, Jessica Sturm, Maria (Darrell) Jansen, Christina Sturm (Nick Krone), Noah Latham, Adriana Pitcher, Thomas Pitcher; Katie (Aaron Chenchar) Ball, Michael Ball; 17 great-grandchildren; siblings Dave Finnegan of St. James, Minnesota, Pat Finnegan of Muskegon, Michigan, Mike Finnegan of Iowa City, Iowa, Rosanne (Max) Girres of Grundy Center, Iowa, Raymond (Patricia) Finnegan of Omaha, Nebraska, Roger (Darlene) Finnegan of Eldridge, Iowa, Dennis Finnegan of Omaha, Nebraska, and Fran (Dennis) Anderson of Bennington, Nebraska; sisters-in law Nancy Finnegan of Bellevue, Nebraska, Jan FInnegan of Storm Lake, Iowa, and many nieces and nephews; as well as other relatives and countless friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Duane in 1964 and her husband Ed in 2019; her brothers; Philip in infancy, Bob Finnegan, Tom Finnegan, Ken Finnegan, Jim Finnegan, Albert Finnegan, Dan Finnegan; her sisters-in-law; Ellie Finnegan, Alice Finnegan, Margie Finnegan, Doris Finnegan, Liz Finnegan, Cecelia Finnegan, Jane Finnegan; daughter-in-law Terri Pitcher, and a great-grandchild, Tristan Charlson.

In lieu of flowers, you may consider a donation to the Greene Public Library or Catholic Charities.