Smith, Ida Catherine (Mrs. Wilson A.), 1867-1938

SMITH, RICE, ERICKSON

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-- Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:34

From the Rock Valley Bee, February 18, 1938:

Mrs. W. A. Smith Died Last Week Friday Afternoon, Feb. 11

Mrs. W. A. Smith passed away at her home Friday afternoon, Feb. 11, at the age of seventy-one years, following a lingering illness of several years.

Mrs. Smith, nee Ida C. Rice, was born July 8, 1867, at Croton, Mich. She lived at Croton many years. On February 10, 1910, she was united in marriage with Dr. W. A. Smith, at Sheldon, Iowa. After their marriage Mrs. Smith came to Rock Valley where she has made her home for the past twenty-eight years.

Mrs. Smith had been in ill health for a long time. She had been forced to remain in bed since November 2, 1937. In spite of her suffering, Mrs. Smith was always cheerful and hopeful. During the past few months Mrs. Smith was cared for by her sister, Mrs. Lou Beatty, of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mrs. Smith is survived by her husband and one brother, William A. Rice of Allegan, Mich., and one sister, Mrs. Beatty, of Grand Rapids. Her parents, one brother and four sisters preceded her in death.

Funeral services for Mrs. Smith were held in the home at 11 o’clock Saturday morning, Rev. J. A. Kettle, of the Methodist church, having charge of the services. Mrs. Kettle and Mrs. V. D. Berrier sang the duet “Sometime We’ll Understand” by request. The song was sung at the funeral services held for Mrs. Smith’s mother, many years ago. Pall bearers were John Haupt, Emory Suter, Lewis Dahl, Ray Woolridge, Glenn Benson and A. L. Halstead.

Immediately following the services Dr. Smith, Mrs. Beatty, and Mr. and Mrs. James Vander Ploeg accompanied Mrs. Smith’s body to Croton, where interment was made.

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RESEARCH NOTES

Her death certificate gives her name as Ida Catherine Smith, a resident of Rock Valley for 28 years; husband Wilson A. Smith; parents James Russel Rice, born in Canada, and Christena Erickson, born in Sweden; died at 3 a.m. February 11, 1938. Causes: toxic goitre recurrent, onset 1932; auricular fibrillation, onset August 1937; pulmonary congestion and edema, onset 2/4/38. She had an operation that looks like “Thyroid artery cleaned” in 1932.

Her FindaGrave.com page gives her parents as James Russell Rice (1846-1913) and Christine E. Erickson Rice (1844-1920); siblings Lillie M. Rice (1870-1891), Belle Florence Rice Livergood (1872-1931), William A. Rice (1880-1942, and David R. Rice (1882-1905). There is a photo of her, and one of the joint headstone of her and her sister Belle.

The 1900 census shows her as Ida Rice (age 32, born July 8, 1867 in Michigan, father born Canada, mother born Sweden) living in Detroit and working as a waitress.

The O’Brien County marriage register for 1909/1910 has groom W. A. Smith, age 36, resident of Rock Valley, a veterinary surgeon, born in Carton[?] County, Pa., parents Owen Smith and Selma Andrews, second marriage; bride Ida C. Rice, age 40, resident of Grand Rapids, Mich., born in Croton, Mich., parents James Rush Rice and Christina E. Kemp[illegible], first marriage; married in Sheldon February 19, 1910.

A brief article on their wedding in the Rock Valley Bee (Feb. 25, 1910) says that it “was the greatest surprise of the season.” He had been in Rock Valley about 2-1/2 years, and she was a stranger to the area.