Obituary of Inez Smith

Inez Smith was born to Alfred and Mary (Mienking) Newquist at their rural home near May City, IA on December 18, 1928. She was baptized, confirmed and later married at St. John Lutheran Church in May City where she also taught Sunday school. She later attended the Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, MN. Inez received her early education in a rural school near May City. She attended high school in Hartley, IA, graduating as valedictorian of her class. She received a two-year teaching certificate by attending summer school at Cedar Falls, IA, and received her BA in Elementary Education from Westmar College in LeMars, IA in 1955. During her 41 years of teaching, she taught in two rural schools in Osceola County, IA, as well as in Everly, Emmetsburg and Rock Rapids, IA and Hutchinson, MN. Her greatest joy was to instill in her students the joy of learning. Inez married Gerrit Smith on June 25, 1961, and they made their home in Luverne, MN. They owned a sale barn there until it was destroyed by fire in 1967. They then moved to Hutchinson, MN, and purchased another sale barn which they operated until 1994. During this time, Inez helped manage the sale barn café and took pride in her ability to impress the inspectors. Following a difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Inez passed away at the Prairie View Nursing Home in Sanborn, IA on January 29, 2010. She was 81. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gerrit on January 15, 2004; special uncle Bill Mienking (who made his home with her parents); brother-in-law Marvin Brockshus; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Henry and Lucille Smith, Marvin and Charlotte Pank, Ben Smith and Francis Caudle; nephews Robert Brockshus and Jeff Vortherms; and niece Grace Smith. Survivors include two sisters, Alice Brockshus of May City, and Doris (Duane) Hickman of Ellsworth, MN; a brother-in-law Frank Caudle of Healdsburg, CA; many nieces, and nephews. In Remembrance of Inez Smith Born ~ December 18, 1928 Died ~ January 29, 2010 Age ~ 81 years 1 month 11 days Funeral Service 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 3, 2010 Sanborn Funeral Chapel ~ Sanborn, Iowa Officiating ~ Pastor Jonathan Conner Organist ~ Marna Hakeman Congregational Singing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” Interment Maplewood Cemetery ~ Luverne, Minnesota