Janell Dot Smiley

JANELL DOT SMILEY

Cedar Rapids

Janell Dot Smiley passed peacefully Dec. 18, 2021, with family with her, from heart failure while at St. Luke's Hospital. She was 95 years young.

The visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. The funeral will be the following day at

11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories.

Janell was born April 3, 1926, in Huron, S.D., to Walter and Elsie Markell. Janell grew up on a farm in South Dakota with three sisters. During her childhood her family lived an isolated life and experienced the Great Depression. There were many times they struggled for a meal and she doesn't remember getting a Christmas gift until her adulthood. She suffered a severe infection as a late teen and was one of the first civilians to get antibiotics for this. She was told she had 1 chance in 1000 of making it through the night. She luckily lived.

She met her husband, Robert G. Smiley, in Pierre, S.D., after World War II. They relocated to his job here in Cedar Rapids, being married Nov. 1, 1947. Janell was a stay-at-home mother to her three children until they were older. They have many fond memories that taught them how to love and care for others and was a guide to living a fulfilling and loving life. She loved to travel with her young family and camped in many national parks.

She worked secretarial jobs, retiring from the electric company. After they both retired, she greatly enjoyed traveling in their RV around the country, visiting more parks and family. They went to Alaska in the RV, but she also traveled there many times once her daughter Sandy's family moved there. She and her husband traveled to Hawaii and Europe. She said traveling was one of her favorite activities she did in her life and she never regretted a single dollar that was spent on traveling.

She enjoyed many crafts and was prolific at making stained glass for windows for nearly 30 years, which family is enjoying. She also enjoyed refinishing furniture, embroidery, hardanger, making costume jewelry Christmas tree wall hangings, making reproduction porcelain dolls and glass kiln jewelry. Janell was active in helping others, especially through the church. She and Bob enjoyed square dancing for 30-plus years with the Guys and Dolls Club. In her later retired years, she was very devoted to her husband and her local grandchildren Dustin and Hope. For many school years, Janell would come early every morning while her son went to work. She sacrificed much of her time to being a grandma as well as to helping others.

She resided at Keystone Assisted Living for the past several years where she made many friends, enjoyed playing games and hearing the live music. She lived for her family and enjoyed visits from them as well as video chats on her iPad.

She had a wonderful sense of humor and, even at 95, she was still witty and sharp. She always tried to be the peacekeeper and looked at everyone in a positive light, knowing each person does the best they can do.

She was a humble and exceptionally thoughtful woman. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all felt this and all of her love, no matter how far away they were. She embodied what love is and it will be carried on by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert G. Smiley; her parents,;her three sisters; and, most recently, one grandson, Dustin Smiley.

She is survived by her three children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren: daughter, Brenda Bender of Castle Rock, Colo., husband Dennis, their son and family, Brian Bender of Kenosha Wis., and daughter, Renee Chihuahua and family of Colorado Springs, Colo.; daughter, Sandy Winfree of Anchorage, Alaska, husband Bob, their son, Kyle Winfree and family of Flagstaff, Ariz.; and son, Robert Smiley of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, son, Will Smiley of Salt Lake City, Utah, and daughter, Hope Smiley-Neagle and family of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Online condolences are welcome at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.