Lavona Elmira (Burroughs) Smith (1859-1942)

BURROUGHS, SMITH, LONG, HOEVET, CORNELL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal April 4,, 1942 (page 6)

Funeral Services Held at Maxwell For Mrs. L. E. Smith

Funeral services for Mrs. L. E. Smith were held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at her home with her pastor, the Rev. John C. Turner, in charge.

With Mrs. Gerton Nelson at the piano, a mixed quartette composed of Gerton Nelson, Mrs. Van Busenburg, Mrs. C. I. Kirk and Harry Fackler sang "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," "Face to Face," and "Jesus Lover of My Soul." Pallbearers were Ross Olinger, M. D. Warner, W. B. Holland and Earl Robertson. The floral tributes were very beautiful and profuse. Burial was made in the Peoria cemetery.

A part of the life sketch of Mrs. Smith as read by Rev. Turner, follows.

"Mrs. Lavonna Elmira Smith, daughter of Thomas H. and Hannah Burroughs, was born Dec. 27, 1859, near Mechanicsville, in Jones county, Iowa. She was the seventh of a family of nine children.

"At her passing at the age of 82 years, 3 months and 3 days she leaves two brothers and two sisters living, Mrs. N. J. Long of Rolfe, Ia., Mrs. C. O. Hoevert [should be Hoevet] of Palisades, Colo., S. T. Burroughs of Litchfield, Nebraska and N. H. Burroughs of Maxwell, with whom she has made her home for a number of years. Most keenly feeling her departure is her daughter, Bernice Augusta, who has lovingly cared for her mother through her years of confinement to the home on account of an injury and her recent serious illness, causing her death.

"Other surviving relatives are three sisters-in-law, Mrs. J. W. Burroughs of Tipton, Mrs. S. T. Burroughs of Litchfield, Neb., Mrs. A. Cornell of Lincoln, Neb., two brothers-in-law, A. Cornell of Lincoln, C. C. Hoevert [should be Hoevet] of Palisades, Colo. and a number of nieces and nephews.

"Mrs. Smith lived in Jones county until she was 16 years of age, then moved to Marshall county near Conrad and lived there until 1891 when she moved to Pocahontas county near Gilmore City.

"On October 30, 1895, she was united in marriage to Augustine W. Smith, the ceremony being performed in the Methodist Parsonage in Humboldt, Ia. She moved on a farm near Rolfe, and lived there until the death of husband in 1914. She then moved to Rolfe and stayed until 1918 when she came to Maxwell where she spent the remaining years of her life with the exception of four years in Lincoln, Nebraska with her daughter, Bernice, on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan university.

"At the age of 16 she was converted and united with the Methodist Church, remaining a member all the rest of her life. Testimony of her bears that she was a faithful and loving wife and mother. She lost a son, Harold Augustine, who died in infancy She always faced the greatest difficulties with the determination and cheerfulness. She was a descendant of those who had fought for their country, her great-grandfather being in the Revolutionary War and her grandfather in the War of 1812. She will be greatly missed by all who intimately knew her."