Smith, Vanita

Vanita Smith, 91, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab in Vinton following an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Urbana Christian Church, with the Rev. John Caughron officiating. Interment will be held at Urbana Cemetery. Friends may call at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. Sixth St., Vinton, from 4 to 7 p.m. today.

Vanita was born Aug. 10, 1919, near Vinton, to Clifford and Myrtle (Thompson) Ferguson, and graduated from the Urbana High School in 1937. On March 8, 1939, she was united in marriage to Merwin “Bud” Smith near Brandon. He preceded her in death on Oct. 3, 2009. 

Vanita was a member of the Urbana Christian Church since 1936 where she held numerous positions in the congregation. For 32 years she served as secretary for the Urbana Cemetery Association. She was a member of Eastern Star, several social clubs, had served as a 4-H leader and as a volunteer at St. Luke's Hospital. 

In her leisure she enjoyed playing cards, but her greatest joy in life came from being a grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by her sons, Delmar (Marcia) Smith and Jay (Billie) Smith, both of Center Point; her daughter, Jolinda (Jim) Andrews of Urbana; her grandchildren, Tiffiany (Eric) Gardner of Denver, Colo., Tony (Carolyn) Smith of Urbana, Jason (Angie) Smith of Cedar Rapids, Darcie Smith of Council Bluffs, Jaren (Kelly) Andrews of Urbana and Jennifer (Durk) Gerhardt of Ladson, S.C.; 13 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Wayne Smith of San Jose, Calif.; and sisters-in-law, Venoa Swartzbaugh of Vinton and Donna Drum of Cedar Falls.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by brothers, Dell, Joe and Donald Ferguson.

A memorial fund has been established.

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