Ida Smith

Ida C. Smith, age 97, passed away peacefully at The Courts of Holt Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Friday, October 17, 2008. Ida was born October 20, 1910 on the family farm in Ellington Township, the daughter of the late Isaac & Vivian (Vader) Thane. She graduated cum-laude from Caro High School with the class of 1928 and County Normal the following year. For several years, she taught school at the Remington School. She was united in marriage with Elden T. Smith on August 8, 1933 at her family home outside of Caro. After their marriage, they owned and operated the Colwood Store in Colwood, before moving back to the family farm in 1944. For over twenty-five years, Elden worked for Farm Bureau, first in the thumb area of Michigan, moving to DeWitt in 1957, and retiring to Harrison in 1977. In the mid 1980s, they returned to Caro to live, until going to Holt in 1999 to be closer to their children. Wherever they lived, Elden and Ida were very active in the United Brethren Church and particularly the Colwood United Brethren in Christ Church of Caro. Ida and her sister Iva played a variety of instruments for many revivals in the Caro area and often played instruments at the Gull Lake Bible Conference Grounds. Ida was also very involved with the Childrens Ministry at the Lansing United Brethren in Christ Church as well as being the Sunday School Superintendent. Elden, Idas love of her life, died July 4, 2001 after nearly 68 years of marriage. Ida is survived by two children and their spouses, Theron L. & Helen Smith of Lansing, Ruth Ann & Mark E. Ralph of Sunfield; two grandsons, one granddaughter and their spouses, Stacy & Jamie Smith of Moscow, Russia, Kristi & Joel Foudy of Convoy, Ohio, Ben & Suzanne Ralph of Lake Odessa; one granddaughter-in-law, Linda Smith of Huntington, Indiana; four great-grandchildren, Liz, Bri and Rebekah Smith all of Huntington, Indiana; Logan Foudy of Convoy, Ohio and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Ida was preceded in death by her sister, Iva Smith in 1969 and a grandson, Steven Smith in 2002.