Ethel Belle Smith, 86
November 23, 2012
Ethel Belle Smith, 86, of Columbia City, died at 1:32 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at Miller’s Merry Manor where she had been a resident since March 2008.
She was born Feb. 24, 1926, in Portland, a daughter of William Henry and Estella May (Nickerson) Miller. Her formative years were spent in Portland where she attended Mount Zion School.
On Oct. 7, 1944, she was united in marriage to Herman E. Smith. They made their home in Waynedale until 1977 when they moved to Old Lake. Mr. Smith died Nov. 28, 2001. In 2002, Ethel Belle moved to Columbia City.
She worked 22 years at Royal Lace Paper Company at Baer Field and six years at Essex.
Her church of membership is Hope Lutheran Church.
Surviving relatives include two children, David L. (Brenda) Smith of Union City and Margie (Warren “Buck”) Lopshire of Albion; four grandchildren, Donald (Sheri) Smith, Keith Lopshire, Shane Lopshire and Jennifer Lenker and a great grandson, Ryan Smith.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Henry N. Miller and Fred L. Miller, and two sisters, Grace Elizabeth Rush and Clara Elnora Miller.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.
The burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne.
The visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials are to Hope Lutheran Church. Online condolences can be made at www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com.
