Erna L. Smith

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Waters Funeral Chapel, 500 S. Main Street in Vandalia, Missouri 633382.
Officiating will be: Rev. Eldon Wilson and Rev. Frank Welch.
Music provided by: selected favorite hymns.
Interment will be in the Vandalia Cemetery.
Pallbearers: Marvin Yager Jr., Chris Wheeler, Donnie Perkins, Calvin Brown, Evan Case and Dewey Straube.

Erna Lucille (Young) Smith passed away at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at the Country View Nursing Facility in Bowling Green, Missouri. She was a graduate of the Montgomery City High School with the class of 1929. Erna then graduated from the University of Missouri in 1964 with a teaching degree. She taught in elementary schools in Montgomery, Pike, Ralls and Audrain counties and retired in 1975 after teaching for several years in the Van-Far school system at Farber. Erna was a member of the First Christian Church in Vandalia and the Retired Teachers Association. She enjoyed reading, her many outdoor flowers, collecting red glassware, baking cookies for her grandchildren and taking care of her little black dog, Spike.

Born: February 4, 1910 near Bluffton, Missouri the daughter of John E. "Jack" and Willa French (Blackmore) Young.

Married: Ralph D. Smith Sr. on November 27, 1932 in New Florence, Missouri; he preceded her in death on January 27, 1991.

Survivors include: two daughters: Patsy and husband, Don Lynn of Vandalia, Missouri; Betty and husband, Floyd Bontz also of Vandalia; one sister: Janet Zumsteg of Lees Summit, Missouri;a daughter-in-law: Jane Smith of Vandalia; 20 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren and 23 great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: husband, Ralph Sr.; one son: Ralph "Danny" Smith Jr.; two daughters: Helen Stinnett and Donna Darnell; two sons-in-law: Jack Stinnett and Marvin Darnell; one great-grandson and a sister, Niecy Ertmann.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to the First Christian Church, 205 W. Park Street, Vandalia, Missouri 63382.