Helen Smith
With a huge sense of loss but gratefulness for her beautiful life, the family of Helen Smith announce her peaceful passing away on January 21st, at the age of 82 years. Helen was born March 25th, 1932 in Rockglen Saskatchewan, the youngest of eight children. She married Norman Smith in 1951, and shortly after settled in Ponoka where she has lived for 60 years. With her warm generous personality and gift of hospitality, she amassed a very large network of friends which she maintained with much attentiveness and devotion. She worked at the CIBC in Ponoka, and following the adoption of their two children, Helen took on a new career at Riverside School, as Secretary, Librarian, and General Mother Hen. Having grown up in a very close family, her extended and immediate family remained top priority in her heart and life. Helen lived life with great enthusiasm, always cheering loudest at parades and bringing humor and mischief to any setting she was in. She adored her children, nieces and nephews, and was an especially proud grandma and great-grandma. She spent her life on the many people she loved, advocating for the “underdog” or anyone in need; caring for many sick and elderly friends, and luring friends to her home with fresh baking. For the last year and a half of her life, she was a bright light amongst the residents of Sunrise Village, a community she loved and appreciated. Once faced with the challenges of cancer, she spent the last two months of her life first in the Red Deer Hospital and then Ponoka General Hospital. We cannot say enough about the compassionate, excellent care and attention given to Mom by all of the medical staff. Special thanks to Dr. Halse and Dr. Chan; and to Ivan, Donna, Krista, Kim, and all of the wonderful nurses on the Goal Unit. The closer she approached the end of her earthly life, the closer she drew to God, and it was with profound peace and a great sense of blessedness that she spent her last few weeks, surrounded by loved ones, continuing to inspire those around her with her loving spirit. Helen will be deeply missed by a large community of people whose lives she touched, especially her family: son Robb Smith of Victoria; daughter Margo and son-in-law Duane Stretch of Ponoka; grandchildren Geoffrey (Chantalle), Blair (Carissa-Lynn), Joel and fiancé Randi, and Rebekah; great-grandchildren Lucas, Arie, and Selah; acquired daughter Leslie (Mark) Crowley of Edmonton; grandchildren Simon, Kate (Matt), and Jesse (Katie), and great-grandchildren Jack, Joey, and Oren. A Funeral Service for Helen will be held at Ponoka First Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 31st with Pastor Paul Spate and Pastor Blair Stretch officiating. To express condolences to Helen’s family, please visit www.womboldfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements Entrusted To Ponoka Funeral Home