Sally Annette (Hand) Smith

Sally Annette (Hand) Smith

Cedar Rapids

Sally Annette (Hand) Smith was called home on Sunday, January 25th, 2026. She passed peacefully into eternal life, surrounded by her loving family. There will be a wake at 9:00 a.m. and service at 10:00 a.m. at the Murdoch Funeral Home in Marion, Iowa, on Wednesday, January 28th.

Sally was born to Charles "Leroy" Hand, and Bessie Marie (French) Hand, on March 1st, 1941, at Cottage Hospital, in Galesburg, Illinois. She attended school in Galesburg and graduated from Galesburg Junior Senior High School in 1959. While in her last years of high school, she met and fell in love with Woodrow "Woody" Smith. How they met is a story that both of them loved to tell. They met on a school bus, when Woody saw a cute blonde girl he didn't hesitate to sit next to her. They immediately struck up a conversation and hit it off. As they were getting off the bus, Sally realized that she didn't have a dime to call her parents to come pick her up. Woody stepped up and gave her a dime to call home. That was all it took. They struck up a romance and united in marriage on December 3rd, 1960. They were blessed with three daughters and moved to Monticello, Iowa, in 1977. Later they would have six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, many dogs, and lots of love and happy memories.

Sally worked in retail for most of her working life. She loved interacting with people and sharing stories with her customers. She was always known to light up a room with her smile and was never without a quick comeback. She definitely had an ornery streak, and a great sense of humor. In her younger years, she loved bowling and golfing at the Monticello Country Club. She absolutely loved and cherished her family and looked forward to family gatherings. She was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, basketball and football. She became a Green Bay Packer fan when her family moved to Wisconsin in 1990. Nothing made her smile more than when she got to hold babies, especially her grandkids, and chat with little ones while out and about. She also loved her pups and grandpups.

Sally is survived by two daughters: Lori Cooper (Jim) of Orange Beach, Alabama, and Tracy Smith (Dean Zirbel) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; six grandchildren: Nicole Gerdes (Justin), Cedar Rapids, Jessica Manternach (Joe), Monticello, Spencer Chapman (Maria), Truro, Amber Chapman, Monticello, Jay Cooper, Birmingham, Alabama, and Josh Cooper, Auburn, Alabama; 10 great-grandchildren: Gavin Gerdes, Cedar Rapids, Griffin Gerdes, Ames, Maci, Marleigh, and Mila Manternach, Monticello, Harper and Willow Chapman, Truro, Kaiya and Kinsleigh Chapman, Monticello.

Sally was preceded in death by her husband, Woody; both parents; daughter, Cindy, and brother, Terry.

The family would like to express their appreciation and gratitude to the staff at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, and the staff at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Cedar Rapids, for showing such great care and compassion toward our mother, as well as their unwavering support and compassion for our family during this difficult time. God Bless them all.

Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Please share a memory of Sally at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.