07/23/2008

Mary "Petie" Smith

July 21, 2008

OFDA received word this morning that Mary "Petie" Smith, 89, of Lancaster died Monday, July 21, 2008. She was a V.P. of the Frank E. Smith Funeral Home, Inc, Lancaster.

Mary was a member of the First United Methodist Church and its Laura Rice Seaman Circle. She graduated from LHS in 1936 and Goucher College, Baltimore, MD. She was very active in multiple civic activities and instrumental in the effort to establish a campus of Ohio University in Lancaster. She was a past president of Lancaster City Schools and during her terms built seven school buildings. She was a founder of Fairfield Heritage Association and founded the hospital memorial twig system to honor her mother-in-law Mrs. Frank E. (Myrtle) Smith with the start of Twig #1.

She is survived by her husband of sixty-six years, Irvine G. Smith, sons Frank R. (Dixie C.) Smith and David S. (Debra G.) Smith; grandchildren, Matthew (Kay) Smith, Lori (Matthew) Swain, Katherine (Michael) Schenk, F. Eric (Jenni) Smith; great grandchildren, Abigail, Isabel, and Eden Swain, Parker and Tannner Schenk and Jacqueline Smith and two step-grandchildren and four step-great grandchildren. A sister-in-law Nada S. Kerr; nephew R. Kenneth (Teri) Kerr III, and niece Calista K. (Ronald) Strickmaker.

Services will be held in the Chapel of The Frank E. Smith Funeral Home, Inc., 405 North Columbus Street, Lancaster, Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 1:30 PM. Interment is to follow in Forest Rose Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home 2:00-6:00 PM, Wednesday, July 23, 2008 and one hour prior to service.

Many thanks to the staff of Carriage Court, Lanfair, Fairfield Medical Center, and FairHoPe Hospice.

Memorial gifts may be given to Fairfield Heritage Association or the First United Methodist Church.