Obituaries : Vanita Smith

Vanita Smith

URBANA: Vanita Smith, 91, died Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab in Vinton, following an extended illness.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 8, 2011 at the Urbana Christian Church with Rev. John Caughron officiating. Interment will be held at the Urbana Cemetery. Friends may call at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. 6th St., in Vinton from 4 to 7 PM on Friday. A Memorial Fund has been established.

Vanita was born August 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 October 3, 2009.

Vanita was a member of the Urbana Christian Church since 1936 where she held numerous positions in the congregation. For thirty-two 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, all of Center Point; her daughter, Jolinda (Jim) Andrews of Urbana; her grandchildren, Tiffiany (Eric) Gardner of Denver, CO, 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, SC; thirteen great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Wayne Smith of San Jose, CA; 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.

Condolences may be left at: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com