Aug. 26, 1923 — Oct. 23, 2007
Bonnie B. Smith, 84, of Lebanon died Oct. 23, 2007 at Lebanon Community Hospital.
She was born Aug. 26, 1923 in Clarks, Neb., to Maude Mae and Alexander LaVerne McLean. She married David M. Smith in Clarks, where her first two sons were born before the family moved to Sweet Home in 1947. The family lived in the Holley area for close to 20 years. Her third son was born in the Sweet Home Hospital and her fourth son and two daughters were born at Lebanon Community Hospital.
She was a homemaker for many years until she and David divorced in 1962. Then she and her three youngest children moved to Salem where she attended Chemeketa Community College. They then moved to Corvallis where Mrs. Smith went to work in the Department of Health and Physical Education at Oregon State University as an administrative assistant to the dean. She worked there for almost 30 years.
After she retired, she worked as a volunteer at Good Samaritan Hospital until Parkinson’s disease forced her to stop.
Mrs. Smith enjoyed her family and was happiest at home with her family around her. She was a kind and generous person, always willing to give to others, especially her family. She was able to play the piano by ear, never having had any musical training, and she had a lovely singing voice, but very few people ever got to hear her play or sing. She loved animals, especially cats, and always had them in her home.
For the past several years, Mrs. Smith had lived in Lebanon with her oldest daughter. Her granddaughter Colleen was especially close to her grandmother, who was like another parent to her.
She is survived by her sons Douglas, Lorrell, and Rick Smith, all of Corvallis; her daughters, Denise Smith of Lebanon, and MarDee Harris of Stoneham, Mass .; a brother, William LaVerne McLean, of Clarks, Neb., and 22 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her oldest son, Gary David Smith, and by her infant granddaughter, Ann Marie Smith.
At her request there will be no formal service. Her children and family will have a private remembrance of her.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Arrangements are being handled by DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home and Crematory, http://www.demossdurdan.com.