Paine, Harriett (VanderBie) Smith 1921 - 2015
SMITH, VANDERBIE, PAINE, PENNELL, STEVENSON, JAMISON, FILLIPPIS
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/27/2015 at 12:38:18
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA - Harriett VanderBie Smith Paine passed away peacefully in Downey, Calif. at the age of 93 on Feb. 21, 2015. She lived in Downey since 1952. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. Harriett lived her life with a strong Christian faith that was exemplified through her kindness and caring nature.
She was a successful Home Economist, Adult Education instructor, published cookbook author and food editor.
Harriett was born on May 8, 1921 at the family home where she grew up in Lime Springs, Iowa to parents Roy and Bessie VanderBie. She graduated from Lime Springs High School in 1939 and continued her education at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa graduating in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. She taught high school Home Economics and Physical Education for a year in Maquoketa, Iowa while she was engaged to be married. She moved to California in 1944 after marrying Eugene Smith at the Methodist Church in Lime Springs during World War II. After the war, they moved to Los Angeles where she began her career as a Senior Home Economist with the Southern California Gas Company. When it was time to raise a family, she chose to teach Adult Education cooking classes which allowed her a more flexible schedule.
Sadly, in 1958 she became a widow very suddenly at the young age of 37. Years later she met and married Bill Paine and together they raised their blended family. They were happily married for 34 years until his passing in 1994.
Through the years she taught hundreds of students in cooking classes that included Home Style Cooking, Barbecue Cooking for Couples, Mother/Daughter Cooking and many others.
In 1975 she began teaching an older adult program through Downey Adult School. She provided a different speaker or performer each week for hundreds of seniors. During this time she was instrumental in starting the Downey Adult School Tour Program. She, along with countless number of students, traveled on day trips, cruises, train trips and bus excursions. After 58 years and at the age of 89 she retired but was still active in Downey.
In 2005 she was honored for holding the state record for the longest number of years teaching Adult Education. A real highlight in her career was when the Downey School Board dedicated a building in her name, The Harriett Paine Event Center.
Following the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, Harriett, along with two Home Economists, were pioneers in developing and teaching Home and Family Disaster Preparation and co-authored “How to Survive an Earthquake: Home and Family Preparedness.” In 1978 this program was adopted by the United States Civil Defense Department in Washington D.C., where she trained the directors at the Civil Defense Staff College on educating their states.
She enthusiastically served her church and community with emphasis on helping people develop skills to improve and enrich their lives for over 60 years. She was always willing to accept a new teaching challenge or volunteer commitment.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Eugene Smith and Birwinn “Bill” Paine; her parents, Roy and Bessie VanderBie; brother- and sister-in-law, Wendell and Peg VanderBie; son-in-law Tom Pennell; and nephew-in-law Norm Stevenson.
Harriett is survived by her daughter, Susan Paine Jamison; son-in-law Cary Jamison; daughter, Darlene Paine Pennell; grandchildren, Ellen (Dominic) Filippis and Tom (Laura) Pennell; great-grandchildren, Mathew Filippis, Samantha Filippis and Madison Pennell; niece Ann (VanderBie) Stevenson; many nieces and nephews from the Smith and Paine families; and dear friends.
A memorial service and burial will be at 1 p.m., on May 2, 2015 at the Lime Springs United Methodist Church and Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in her honor to provide a permanent memorial bench at VanderBie Park in Lime Springs.
Source: Cresco Times March 24, 2015
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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