Jay Otto SMITH was born in the Redding Hotel, May 6, 1893. His father had built the hotel and his parents were the operators at that time.

Lottie WILLEY was born in southeast Ringgold County and her family moved to the Redding vicinity where she attending rural schools. She was born in 1893 also.

On May 23, 1916, these two young people were married after she had graduated from high school and taught school around Redding. They lived near Redding, Delphos and Benton. In 1942 the family moved to a farm east and south of Maloy. The SMITHS had become the parents of nine children. Only the four youngest attended school in Maloy: Dorothy, Shirley, Jack and Donna Belle. All but Donna graduated from Maloy; she went to Mount Ayr with the rest of her class.

Dorothy SMITH McCREARY lives at Norwalk, Iowa and works for the Ankeny Community College on the Des Moines campus.

Shirley SMITH QUILLIAMS, the mother of seven married children, lives at Clinton with her husband.

Jack also lives in Clinton and is employed by Alcoa Aluminum Company.

Donna SMITH MURPHY lives at Cummings, Iowa and is a dietician for a boys' school at Johnson, Iowa.

Other members of the family are Maxine NORRIS who lives in Creston and is now a widow and has returned to her teaching profession by teaching in Diagonal.

A son, Glee, lost his life in the Pacific War Theatre in World War II.

  Clifford is employed by Ruan Company in Des Moines.

Darrell, a retired navy commander, lives in Keysville, Virignia, and Victor is a commodity broker living in Portland, Oregon.

Jay and Lottie moved to Mount Ayr when they retired in 1960. Jay passed away in 1972. Lottie remained in their home in Mount Ayr until a year ago (1985) when she went to live in a retirement home for the elderly in Norwalk. Now past 90 years of age, she is remarkably well and attends many reunions and such in her home territory.

NOTES: Jay Otto SMITH, the son of William T. and Malvina (STUART) SMITH, died at Mount Ayr on February 12, 1972. He married Lottie Rebecca WILLEY on May 23, 1916, Mount Ayr. Lottie Rebecca (WILLEY) SMITH, the daughter of Lewis Whetzer and Nora Ellen (BROWN) WILLEY, was born in Mount Ayr on October 7, 1894, and died in Norwalk on September 15, 1989. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Machinist's Mate 2c, Glee SMITH was killed in action, Pacific Theatre, World War II.

 SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 p. 200.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011