Edith Eileen Smith

FUNERAL HOME

Fisher Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services - Lafayette

914 Columbia Street

Lafayette, Indiana

Edith Smith Obituary

Name: Visitation for Edith Eileen Smith
Start: 2018-09-26T21:00:00.000Z
End: 2018-09-27T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Fisher Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services - Lafayette

Edith Eileen Smith

- - Heaven gained an angel on Monday September 24, 2018 as Edith Eileen Smith went home to be with Jesus. She was at peace as she passed, with hands held close by her adoring daughter, Shirley, and the love of her life, Barney Smith, who had cherished his bride for over 75 years. She was loved deeply every moment of her sweet life.

She was greeted in glory by her parents, sisters, a brother, her beloved son David William, and adoring grandson, David Alan, who undoubtedly welcomed her warmly as she collected her eternal reward.

Her legacy lives on in her adoring husband, Barney, her brother George, her children, Mary Eileen (husband Jim Klaiber), Dennis Glenn (wife Gloria Smith), and Shirley Marie (husband Mike Mennen). She was the proud and deeply loving grandma to Beth (husband Ted Samuels), Angela Leazenby, Melissa (husband Bill Lee), Katherine (Husband Jeff Anderson), Lisa Smith, Brad (Wife Mary Gott), Craig (Wife Kim Gott), Harmony (Husband Skyler Hensley), and Andy Mennen (wife Erika Nunez).

She was the doting Great Grandmother to Heather (Husband Nathaniel Dearinger), Stephanie Samuels, Jesse Leazenby, Jeremy Leazenby, Erik (Wife Denise Leazenby), Madeline Anderson, Colby Anderson, TJ Irwin, Kimberly (Husband Matthew Towe), Natashia (Husband Michael Conklin), Ransom Hensley, and Zoey Mennen. She will also be missed by her many great great grandchildren.

Edith never met a stranger and had the gift of hospitality. She made welcome anyone who had the pleasure of crossing her path and was often referred to as the "hostess with the mostess". She and Barney built a life together that exuded love, kindness, hard work, integrity, humility, and laughter. Her eyes twinkled when she smiled and her laughter was contagious. She worked at Pay Less Super Market for decades and was lovingly known as the "Meat Lady", always donning her white coat with pockets full of balloons and butterscotch for the children who she encountered each day. After retiring, she quickly found that an idle life wasn't for her. She was excited to pursue another passion at Bennett's Greenhouse were she made quick work of becoming everyone's Grandma, bringing in baked goodies to spoil her friends. She loved flowers, hummingbirds, and the color purple. She made the best peanut brittle the world has ever known, and believed you could never have too many lights on the Christmas tree.

She was the embodiment of grit and grace. A true beauty inside and out, she was the crown jewel of our family. A matriarch who made it her business to spoil each of us, she leaves a legacy of genuine kindness and signature spunk. Though we grieve her loss, we celebrate that we had the honor of calling her ours.

The family would love to have you join us as we celebrate her life with a visitation at Fisher Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 from 5-8 p.m. A Funeral Service Celebrating Edith's Life will be held on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastors Guy Brown and Harmony Hensley officiating. Burial will follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, or the Alzheimer's Association, envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Journal & Courier on Sep. 26, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Edith Smith

Sponsored by Fisher Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services - Lafayette.

5 Entries

Paula Bongen

September 19, 2019

Aunt Eileen never, ever said one unkind word to me. When I was a child, she always made me feel special, made me feel welcome, made me part of her family. She was the only one to ever call me a "little heifer." As an adult, I realize the many things I learned from her. I admired her strength. Her tenacity to continue, to forge ahead despite whatever life threw at her. She took life in both hands and held on! I will always remember her beautiful face and that magnificent smile. What a God's gift she was!

Paula Creque-Bongen

October 5, 2018

I loved her very much. Always, as I read James Whitcomb Riley's poem, I remember what joy it was to go to Aunt Eileen's house.

Out to Old Aunt Mary's
James Whitcomb Riley

WASN'T it pleasant, O brother mine,
In those old days of the lost sunshine
Of youthwhen the Saturday's chores were through,
And the Sunday's wood in the kitchen, too,
And we went visiting, me and you, 5
Out to Old Aunt Mary's?

Me and youAnd the morning fair,
With the dewdrops twinkling everywhere;
The scent of the cherry-blossoms blown
After us, in the roadway lone, 10
Our capering shadows onward thrown
Out to Old Aunt Mary's!

It all comes back so clear to-day!
Though I am as bald as you are gray,
Out by the barn-lot and down the lane 15
We patter along in the dust again,
As light as the tips of the drops of the rain,
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

The few last houses of the town;
Then on, up the high creek-bluffs and down; 20
Past the squat toll-gate, with its well-sweep pole;
The bridge, and the old babtizin'-hole,
Loitering, awed, o'er pool and shoal,
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

We cross the pasture, and through the wood, 25
Where the old gray snag of the poplar stood,
Where the hammering red-heads hopped awry,
And the buzzard raised in the clearing-sky
And lolled and circled, as we went by
Out to Old Aunt Mary's. 30

Or, stayed by the glint of the redbird's wings,
Or the glitter of song that the bluebird sings,
All hushed we feign to strike strange trails,
As the big braves do in the Indian tales,
Till again our real quest lags and fails 35
Out to Old Aunt Mary's

And the woodland echoes with yells of mirth
That make old war-whoops of minor worth!
Where such heroes of war as we?
With bows and arrows of fantasy, 40
Chasing each other from tree to tree
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

And then in the dust of the road again;
The teams we met, and the countrymen;
And the long highway, with sunshine spread 45
As thick as butter on country bread,
Our cares behind, and our hearts ahead
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

For only, now, at the road's next bend
To the right we could make out the gable-end 50
Of the fine old Huston homesteadnot
Half a mile from the sacred spot
Where dwelt our Saint in her simple cot
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

Why, I see her now in the open door 55
Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er
The clapboard roof!And her faceah, me!
Wasn't it good for a boy to see
And wasn't it good for a boy to be
Out to Old Aunt Mary's? 60

The jellythe jam and the marmalade,
The cherry and quince preserves she made!
And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear,
With cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare!
And the more we ate was the more to spare, 65
Out to Old Aunt Mary's!

Ah! was there, ever, so kind a face
And gentle as hers, or such a grace
Of welcoming, as she cut the cake
Or the juicy pies that she joyed to make 70
Just for the visiting children's sake
Out to Old Aunt Mary's!

The honey, too, in its amber comb
One only finds in an old farm-home;
And the coffee, fragrant and sweet, and ho! 75
So hot that we gloried to drink it so,
With spangles of tears in our eyes, you know
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

And the romps we took, in our glad unrest!
Was it the lawn that we loved the best, 80
With its swooping swing in the locust trees,
Or was it the grove, with its leafy breeze,
Or the dim haymow, with its fragrancies
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

Far fields, bottom-lands, creek-banksall, 85
We ranged at will.Where the waterfall
Laughed all day as it slowly poured
Over the dam by the old mill-ford,
While the tail-race writhed, and the mill-wheel roared
Out to Old Aunt Mary's. 90

But home, with Aunty in nearer call,
That was the best place, after all!
The talks on the back porch, in the low
Slanting sun and the evening glow,
With the voice of counsel that touched us so, 95
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

And then, in the gardennear the side
Where the beehives were and the path was wide,
The apple-houselike a fairy cell
With the little square door we knew so well, 100
And the wealth inside but our tongues could tell
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

And the old spring-house, in the cool green gloom
Of the willow trees,and the cooler room
Where the swinging shelves and the crocks were kept, 105
Where the cream in a golden languor slept,
While the waters gurgled and laughed and wept
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

And as many a time have you and I
Barefoot boys in the days gone by 110
Knelt, and in tremulous ecstasies
Dipped our lips into sweets like these,
Memory now is on her knees
Out to Old Aunt Mary's.

For, O my brother so far away, 115
This is to tell youshe waits to-day
To welcome us:Aunt Mary fell
Asleep this morning, whispering, Tell
The boys to come. And all is well
Out to Old Aunt Mary's. 120

Cathy Judge

September 28, 2018

Knew Edith when she worked at Payless on the north end. Talked with her when she worked at Bennetts. My mom also loved Edith, as they shared the same first name. Bless your soul Edith! You were one of a kind. A beautiful lady inside and out. Heaven has gained an angel.

Starla Fredrickson

September 26, 2018

Our thought and prayers are with you and the family.

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September 26, 2018

Shirley and family, so sorry to hear of Edith's passing. I had the pleasure of knowing her through Church, she and your Dad are wonderful people. May God give you peace during this sad time.
Sally Smith

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