Smith, Mary E. 1926-2024 Crossville, Tenn.
By NewsPress Now
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. – Mary Edith Smith (Owens) was born in Brown Spur, Missouri, on Sept. 2, 1926, to May Elizabeth (James) Owens and Horace Irby Owens. She passed on May 9, 2024, at the age of 97, in Crossville, Tennessee, where she made her home with her daughter,
Raised on the family farm outside Carrollton, Missouri, during the trials of the Great Depression, Mary Edith said they never felt poor as they produced all their own food, everyone was in the same boat and all the neighbors helped each other. She went to a one room school house through eighth grade. During high school, when movies were a dime and a cherry Coke was a nickel, she was in 4-H, played basketball and attended all the football games with her dad. This led to a lifelong interest in sports and weekends cheering for her favorite KC Chiefs and Royals and Denver Broncos.
In 1944 she graduated from Carrollton High, excelling in secretarial skills which aided her in easily finding employment throughout her life. After high school she moved to Kansas City where she often traveled on trains amid the transporting of soldiers during WWII.
On May 2, 1948, she married Donald Eugene Smith, from Tina, Missouri, a WWII Fly Boy. Gene preceded her in death in 1999 after 52 years of marriage.
In 1985 they moved to St. Joseph where she worked at Altec Industries and proudly became their first retiree. Both she and her husband enjoyed volunteering at the hospital and Mary Edith found special meaning as a hospice volunteer visiting patients.
Mary Edith was a true believer in the power of modern medicine which, along with numerous cups of coffee a day, invariably aided in her living a long and fulfilling life. Her past times in later years included reading the Wall Street Journal every day and engaging with her beloved great grandchildren. A life enriched by travel, her social circle included dear lifelong friends, Janice, Loretta and Sherry.
She is remembered as a true lady, loyal, honorable and compassionate, who loved and believed deeply and never saw a dessert she didn’t like!
She will forever be missed by daughters, Diane Iglesias and Laurie Atkinson; their spouses Hugo and Donald; grandchildren, Bryan, Bradley, Alex (wife Katie) and Kendra (husband Joshua); great-grandchildren, Mykenzie and Jebediah; and nieces and nephews.
The family requests donations be made in Mary Edith’s memory to Hospice of Cumberland County, 30 E. Adams St. Crossville, TN 38555.
Arrangements will be made at a later time. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
