Smither, Edith A.

SMITHER, BRIGGS, SWIFT, CARTER, MCSPARIN, MEREMA, LOPEZ, BUTT

Posted By: Ruth Maring - Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/9/2008 at 08:55:06

Smither, Edith A. View/Sign Guest Book

ALBANY, Ill. — Edith A. Smither, 94, of 1002 N. Bluff, Albany, IL, died Monday, December 31, 2007, at her residence. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 04, 2008, at the Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home. Pastor Rita Wolf, of Brethren in Christ Church, will be officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 03, 2008, at the Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home. Private family interment will be in the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, IL. Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children Hospital. She was born July 06, 1913, in Cedar Rapids, IA, to David and Mabel (Briggs) Swift. She was educated in Clinton grade schools, Clinton, IA, and graduated from Clinton High School in 1932. She married Charles Carter in 1939; he died July 15, 1939. She then married Walter Smither on September 20, 1940, in Unionville, IA; he died November 18, 1986. In her early years, she was a member of her family’s professional high diving troupe performing benefits for veterans as well as audiences throughout the United States and Canada. She was a past member of the Baptist Church in Clinton, IA. She is a current member of the Albany United Methodist Church, Albany, IL. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Club and a past member of the Moose Club, Clinton, IA. She was an avid swimmer all her life. She enjoyed fishing, knitting, traveling especially by train, bingo, baking sweets, but most of all she enjoyed her family and all the little children which she babysat. She was best known by most as “Grandma.” Survivors include two daughters, Mabel Jean (Mrs. Charles) McSparin of Morrison, IL, and Leslie (Mrs. Robert) Merema of Fulton, IL; one son, Robert (Denise) Smither of Albany, IL; seven grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and eleven stepgreat-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by both husbands, Charles and Walter; one son, David Smither; one granddaughter, Shirley Lopez; two great-grandsons, Michael Butt and Dylan Smither; and four brothers and three sisters. To send online condolences go to www.bosmarenkes.com.Death date: Dec. 31, 2007
Published in the Clinton Herald from 1/1/2008 - 1/3/2008