Alice Viola Smith Obituary
Alice Viola Smith, 82 of San Tan Valley, Arizona, passed peacefully away on June 5, 2016 from a long battle with Alzheimers. Alice was born in Stronghurst, Illinois in the bedroom of her parents’ farmhouse. The youngest of six children, Alice loved the farm life and enjoyed helping her father and brothers out in the fields as well as taking care of her pet pig, Josephine. She met her husband, Gary, at Roseville High School, Roseville, Illinois. After their marriage in November 1954, they lived in Columbus, Ohio and Little Rock, Arkansas while Gary was in the Air Force. They finally settled after his discharge in Kirkwood, Illinois until 1963 when they moved to Mesa, Arizona where Alice worked as a nurses aid. Alice is survived by her loving husband, Gary L. Smith of San Tan Valley, a brother, Kenneth Waring of Danville, Iowa, daughters Teresa K Ravia of San Tan Valley, AZ, Carol D Thompson of Apache Junction, AZ, their son Steven L Smith of Camarillo, CA, grandchildren Alan Sickler, Jennifer (Sickler) Culver, Michael Thompson, Jason Thompson, Danielle (Smith) Gallarde and Lindsay Smith, great grandchildren Ethan Sickler, Edward Sickler, Brasen Morris, Miale Morris, and Alexis Morris.
Alice was known for her hard work, her compassion to those in need, her love for her church and family. She was a member of the choir at Love of Christ. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, baking – all of which she passed down to her children. She will be missed dearly and fondly remembered forever.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 10, 2016 from 4-6 pm at Mountain View Funeral Home, Mesa, Arizona. Funeral Services will be held at 10 am at Love of Christ Lutheran Church, Mesa, Arizona with internment to follow at Mountain View Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in her memory.
I am so sorry about your loss.
Thank you Kay. I’m so glad we got to come back to Illinois before it happened. Dad is very relaxed, feels like a great weight has been lifted from him. We had just visited her about 30 minutes before she passed. I told her before we left that I had spoken to God and that he had stocked all the refrigerators in Heaven with lutefisk for her! So she was good to go! Maybe that’s what she was waiting for as all good Swedes would do. God Bless You!
Uncle Gary, Theresa, Carol, & Steve,
You are in my prayers at the death of Alice. I am certain that she has joined her Heavenly Father, as well as her earthly Mother, Father and siblings that had gone before her. One day Kenny will join them too, and leave this suffering behind.
I am so thankful that I was able to have a short visit with her last Spring as well as this Spring when I was finally able to visit AZ again since we moved back to Iowa in 1968.
Uncle Gary and Theresa it was good to see you a couple of weeks ago when you were here to visit.
Carol and Steve we need to reconnect someday as well.
Your Niece and Cousin,
Lisa (Waring) Weiler
I am so sorry about your loss.
Thank you Kay. I’m so glad we got to come back to Illinois before it happened. Dad is very relaxed, feels like a great weight has been lifted from him. We had just visited her about 30 minutes before she passed. I told her before we left that I had spoken to God and that he had stocked all the refrigerators in Heaven with lutefisk for her! So she was good to go! Maybe that’s what she was waiting for as all good Swedes would do. God Bless You!
Uncle Gary, Theresa, Carol, & Steve,
You are in my prayers at the death of Alice. I am certain that she has joined her Heavenly Father, as well as her earthly Mother, Father and siblings that had gone before her. One day Kenny will join them too, and leave this suffering behind.
I am so thankful that I was able to have a short visit with her last Spring as well as this Spring when I was finally able to visit AZ again since we moved back to Iowa in 1968.
Uncle Gary and Theresa it was good to see you a couple of weeks ago when you were here to visit.
Carol and Steve we need to reconnect someday as well.
Your Niece and Cousin,
Lisa (Waring) Weiler