Smith, Bette J.

Bette J. Smith, 84, of Grinnell, died Thursday, March 10, 2011, at the Mayflower Health Care Center. Mass of the Resurrection will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 19, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grinnell, with the Rev. Nick Adam officiating.

Music will be provided by Marilyn Kriegel, organist, and St. Mary's Choir. Casket bearers will be her grandchildren, Joel Smith, Ryan Smith, Eric Smith, Grant Smith, Alex Smith, Lauren Smith, Scott Roland, Sarah Roland, Jeff Smith, Julie Smith, Rob Smith and Alyssa Om'Iniabohs.

Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Friends may call at the Smith Funeral Home beginning 3 p.m. Friday and the family will be present at the funeral home from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. A Scripture service will be held 6:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Bette was born Feb. 26, 1927, in Gilmore City, Iowa, to Charles and Sarah ‘Sadie” (Keefe) Wallace. She attended St. John's Catholic School and graduated as valedictorian from Gilmore City High School with the class of 1944. She attended the University of Wisconsin and in 1946, received her teaching certificate from Clarke College in Dubuque. She taught in Belle Plaine, Iowa, and in 1949, moved to Grinnell and taught at Davis School and the former Parker School.

On July 18, 1951, she was united in married to Robert D. Smith at St. John's Catholic Church in Gilmore City. The couple resided in Grinnell and she became a full-time homemaker and mother of five children. Her children were all born within seven years, so she was very busy with her children's activities through their college years. She was a Cub Scout den mother and a Camp Fire leader.

Bette was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grinnell and the Altar and Rosary Society of the church. She was also a member of the Priscilla Club and the Marian Study Club.

Bette enjoyed reading, especially biographies, collecting rabbit figurines, playing bridge, decorating her home for the holidays and family functions, and traveling throughout the United States and Europe. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the light of her life.

She moved to the Mayflower Community in 2003 and has resided in the Mayflower Health Care Center since 2008.

She is survived by her children, John R. Smith, Dr. David M. Smith and William D. Smith, all of Grinnell, Nancy A. Roland of Cedar Rapids and Mary S. Smith of Chanhassen, Minn.; 12 grandchildren, Joel, Ryan, Eric, Grant, Alex, Lauren, Jeff, Julie and Robbie Smith, Scott and Sarah Roland and Alyssa Om'Iniabohs; four great-grandchildren, Taylor, Kaitlyn, Gavin and Jacob; and one brother, Tom Wallace of Woodburn, Ore.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Richard Wallace.

Memorials may be directed to St. Mary's Catholic Church, the Mayflower Human Needs Fund or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.