Obituaries
Obituary for Ella Marie Smith
ELLA MARIE SMITH, 96, of Fulton, IL, passed away peacefully at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Clifton “Bud” and Donna Smith, on Thursday, April 5, 2018.
Cremation rites will be accorded; the Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. Ella requested no visitation or services. A graveside committal service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, May 19, 2018, at Garden Plain Cemetery. A “Celebration of Life” gathering for friends and family will be held at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at the Rockwood State Park Pavilion in Morrison, IL. Memorials may be sent to Genesis Hospice or Garden Plain Presbyterian Church.
Ella was born November 20, 1921, to Reuben and Hazel (Bennett) Green at her home in Fairhaven, in Carroll County, IL. She graduated from Fulton High School with the Class of 1939. She married Clifford Smith in Clinton, IA on September 16, 1939; they celebrated 65 years of marriage. Ella worked at Swift Co. in Clinton. In 1952 she and her husband purchased a shop in Garden Plain, IL and established Smitty’s Welding Service, where she served as the bookkeeper. Through all of her life she was a housewife, and raised a family of four children. Ella and her husband owned a piece of timber land in the Cedar Creek area between Fulton and Albany, which had Cedar Creek running through it. She called this place “My Beloved Timber”. She enjoyed spending time there, watching the birds and wild life. Ella enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and also spending time with her family. All the family with their children, nieces and nephews as well as many friends have lasting memories of sitting around the campfire at in Ella’s beloved timber, singing songs, telling stories, and sharing lots of laughter. Ella had simple tastes and her faith in God was the inspiration she used to live her life.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lou McKenzie of DeKalb, IL and Beth (Ray) Eshelman of Albany, IL; two sons, Clifton “Bud” (Donna) Smith of Fulton, IL and Eugene (Jami) Smith of Eugene, OR; nine grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; thirteen great-great grandchildren; two step grandchildren; five step great grandchildren; three step great-great grandchildren; one sister, Eve Houzenga of Morrison, IL; five sisters-in-law, Ann Green of Morrison, IL, Marguerite Green of Forreston, IL, Donna Smith of Morrison, IL, Anna Marie Smith of Fulton, IL and Harriet Vrchoticky of Morrison, IL; one brother-in-law, Jerry (Marge) Smith of Wisconsin.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clifford “Smitty” Smith, three brothers, Chuck, Bill and Russell Green; five sisters, Irma Green, Doris Jensen, Norma May Merrill, Harriet Schaver and Florence Bielema; one great grandson.
A special thanks to the angels of Genesis Hospice, Dr. Oshea, Sheri, Norma, Lori, Peggy, Gen, Trisha, Cindy, Reba, Lesle, Linda, Louisa, Ed Kramer and Amanda – our beautiful song bird.
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Cremation rites will be accorded; the Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. Ella requested no visitation or services. A graveside committal service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, May 19, 2018, at Garden Plain Cemetery. A “Celebration of Life” gathering for friends and family will be held at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at the Rockwood State Park Pavilion in Morrison, IL. Memorials may be sent to Genesis Hospice or Garden Plain Presbyterian Church.
Ella was born November 20, 1921, to Reuben and Hazel (Bennett) Green at her home in Fairhaven, in Carroll County, IL. She graduated from Fulton High School with the Class of 1939. She married Clifford Smith in Clinton, IA on September 16, 1939; they celebrated 65 years of marriage. Ella worked at Swift Co. in Clinton. In 1952 she and her husband purchased a shop in Garden Plain, IL and established Smitty’s Welding Service, where she served as the bookkeeper. Through all of her life she was a housewife, and raised a family of four children. Ella and her husband owned a piece of timber land in the Cedar Creek area between Fulton and Albany, which had Cedar Creek running through it. She called this place “My Beloved Timber”. She enjoyed spending time there, watching the birds and wild life. Ella enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and also spending time with her family. All the family with their children, nieces and nephews as well as many friends have lasting memories of sitting around the campfire at in Ella’s beloved timber, singing songs, telling stories, and sharing lots of laughter. Ella had simple tastes and her faith in God was the inspiration she used to live her life.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lou McKenzie of DeKalb, IL and Beth (Ray) Eshelman of Albany, IL; two sons, Clifton “Bud” (Donna) Smith of Fulton, IL and Eugene (Jami) Smith of Eugene, OR; nine grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; thirteen great-great grandchildren; two step grandchildren; five step great grandchildren; three step great-great grandchildren; one sister, Eve Houzenga of Morrison, IL; five sisters-in-law, Ann Green of Morrison, IL, Marguerite Green of Forreston, IL, Donna Smith of Morrison, IL, Anna Marie Smith of Fulton, IL and Harriet Vrchoticky of Morrison, IL; one brother-in-law, Jerry (Marge) Smith of Wisconsin.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clifford “Smitty” Smith, three brothers, Chuck, Bill and Russell Green; five sisters, Irma Green, Doris Jensen, Norma May Merrill, Harriet Schaver and Florence Bielema; one great grandson.
A special thanks to the angels of Genesis Hospice, Dr. Oshea, Sheri, Norma, Lori, Peggy, Gen, Trisha, Cindy, Reba, Lesle, Linda, Louisa, Ed Kramer and Amanda – our beautiful song bird.
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