Jessie Ruth (Goddard) Smith, 109 of Greensburg, Indiana passed away on February 21, 2008 at the Continuing Care Center.
She was born in Decatur County on February 17, 1899 to Taylor Bascum and Martha Mabel (Hoagland) Goddard. Her ancestors came to Decatur County in 1824.
She married Grover Leonard Smith on May 17, 1916 and they had five children, Anna Mabel, Helen Florine, Ross E., James F. and Barbara Katherine. Grover, Jessie and son James started Smith Monument Works on SR 3 North in 1947 and moved to North Broadway in 1961 when I-74 was under construction. Grover died in 1958.
She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church since 1916. During World War II, with four of their children in the service, she served as commander of the Navy Mothers, was active in Red Cross work and received a Certificate of Appreciation for her work with the Blood Donor program and received a Special Service Certificate as a Red Cross Assistant signed by President Franklin Roosevelt. She was also active in the Cancer Society.
She is survived by two daughters, Anna Mabel (Voyle) Morgan of Greensburg, and Barbara Katherine (Mack) Fultz of Indianapolis; 17 grandchildren, David, Stephen and Tim, Donald and Hugh Smith and Connie (Smith) Brunner, Nancy (Smith) Grimes, Virginia (Smith) Horton, Patrick McCarty, Karen (McCarty) Styles, Carter H. Corbrey, Jane (Fultz) Harrison, Debbie (Fultz) Ingram, Susie (Fultz) Gillespie, Fred, Chris and Tom Fultz; four step-grandchildren; several great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren and two daughters-in-law Agnes and Pat Smith.
She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers; one half-sister; husband, Grover; one daughter, Helen (Carter) Corbrey; two sons, Ross E. and James F. Smith; one son-in-law, Raymond McCarty; one daughter-in-law, Betty (Biltz) Smith and two granddaughters, Patricia Fultz and Kathe (Corbrey) Graves.
Visitation services will be on Thursday Feb. 28 at Gilliland Howe Funeral Home from noon until the 2 p.m. funeral service. The Revs. Jim and Kathleen Splitt will officiate the service.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church in Greensburg.
