Ethelene D. Smith, 74, of Hemet, California, formerly of Sedalia, died Saturday, October
9, 2004, at Marriott Maple Ridge, in Hemet.
She was born August 29, 1930, in Sedalia, the only child of Harold V. and Eva M. Looney Owen. On September 23, 1951, in Sedalia, she was married to Robert E. Smith, who survives of the home.
Mrs. Smith lived with her parents in Sedalia until 1934, when the family moved to Detroit, Michigan. She lived in Detroit until 1944, when her family returned briefly to Sedalia. That same year they moved to Salem, Oregon for a short time, and then moved to Phoenix, Arizona. She lived there from 1945 to 1950. She graduated from Phoenix Union High School in 1948 and attended a business college there until 1950. She then returned to Sedalia, where she worked for the Teamsters Union until 1952.
In 1952 she returned to Phoenix to live with her parents while her husband was in the
military. In 1954 she returned to Sedalia, but moved to Southern California later that year. She lived in Huntington Beach, California from 1961 to 1986 and worked for the Huntington Beach Unified School District as the registrar for Westminster High School until 1975. At that time she took an early retirement in order to work in the family business. In 1986 she moved to Laguna Niguel, California, and lived there until her retirement in 1992. In 1992 she moved back to Sedalia and lived here until 2001 when her health dictated that she return to Southern California to be near her children.
Mrs. Smith enjoyed gardening and animals, and was a homemaker. She enjoyed crafting,
especially knitting, crocheting, quilting and making stuffed toy animals. She loved antiques and all collectibles. She had an extensive collection of dishes, dolls and teddy bears. Her friends were as many and as varied as her likes in life. She was a stalwart Christian who loved God, her country, all people, and she loved life.
Also surviving are a son, Kim Own Smith and a daughter, Melinda Eve Smith, both of
Corona, California; her mother, Eva M. Owen, of Hemet; and a grandson, James Christian
Smith. She was predeceased by her father Harold V. Owens.
Funeral services will be held at10:30 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dr. Drew Hill and the Rev. Bob Wasson officiating.
Pallbearers will be Bob Cunningham, Charlie Curry, Vernon Horn, Merle Kettel,
Leonard Singer, Tom Smith, Zeb Thomas, Emmet Fairfax and Bob Wasson.
Burial will be in Mt. Herman Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at Heckart/Gillespie Funeral
Home.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Mid-Missouri Humane Society, Children’s
Therapy Center or the Alzheimer’s Association.
