Lela Gwen Smith
Lela Gwen Smith
Lela Gwen Smith
September , 1919 – March 09, 2012
Ottumwa, Iowa
Visitation: Opens after 2 p.m. with the family present from 6 – 8 p.m. March 12, 2012 at Fremont Funeral Chapel
Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. March 13, 2012 at Fremont Funeral Chapel
Interment: Mt. Zion Cemetery near Martinsburg, Iowa
Lela Gwen Smith, 92, of Ottumwa and formerly of Hedrick, died Friday, March 9, 2012, at the Vista Woods Care Center in Ottumwa. She was born in Pekin, Iowa on September 5, 1919, the daughter of William Fredrick and Grace Leota Zeep McCreery. Lela graduated from the Martinsburg High School with the class of 1937. Following high school graduation, she attended Central College in Pella and received her teaching certificate. She then taught at Hartwick, North English, and Martinsburg schools before becoming a full-time homemaker. She taught Sunday School at the Pekin Methodist Church for several years. She enjoyed visiting with her many friends and family, reading, doing Sudoku and crossword puzzles and watching basketball games (and other sports) on TV. She was a member of the Hedrick — Martinsburg United Methodist Church, the U.M.W., the Hedrick O.D.O. Club, and the Pekin Jolly Janes Club. On February 7, 1942, Lela was united in marriage to Harvey William Smith at Lancaster, Missouri with Don Campbell witnessing the ceremony and Harvey died August 11, 1999. Her family includes her son and his wife: Harold and Judy Smith of Victoria, Texas; a daughter and her husband: Nancy and Jerry Tarpley of Murphy, Texas; a granddaughter: Krista Tarpley of Dallas Texas; a sister: Freda Wade of North English, Iowa; a sister-in-law: Marion McCreery of Sigourney; a brother-in-law: Merle (& Patricia) Smith of Sun City West, Arizona and many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. Besides her husband, Lela was preceded in death by her parents; a sister: Lena Pearl Hayes; a brother: Keith McCreery and a sibling in infancy. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at the Fremont Funeral Chapel in Fremont with Reverend Kim Gates officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Zion Cemetery near Martinsburg, Iowa. Visitation will begin at the Fremont Funeral Chapel on Monday after 2 P.M., and the family will be at the funeral chapel Monday from 6 – 8 P.M. to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to the Pekin Dollars for Scholars or the Hedrick—Martinsburg United Methodist Church.
