Edna Merle Smith

On Wednesday, November 20, 2019, Edna Merle (Harrison) Smith passed from this life at the age of 95. She was born on September 18, 1924, in Cardwell, Missouri, to William and Myrtle Harrison. She graduated from Cardwell High School on May 20, 1943, and that very same day married the love of her life, U. L. Smith. Their life of 72 years together included his working for Riggs Wholesale while she worked retail for many years in Cardwell, Kennett, and Poplar Bluff. They raised two sons, Shelton (Butch) and Tim, as well as claiming Earl Maple as one too. Avid sports fans, she and U.L. loved following their sons’ many sporting events, and no one was any bigger Cardinals fan than she. At the age of 19, she put her Lord on in baptism in Cardwell, Missouri, and instilled a strong faith in her children. She called Poplar Bluff home for the last 56 years and enjoyed sharing her life with many friends and church family. She was a woman of wit and wisdom who blessed the lives of those who knew her with enjoyable visits and hospitality. A unique woman who continually made new friends to the very end, her family and friends were very important, and she was fortunate to have plenty of both. Being called Gran by five grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, as well as a few she claimed as her own, was something she cherished too.

She was preceded in death by her husband, U. L. Smith, her son, Shelton (Butch) Smith, her mother and father, four brothers, and one sister. She is survived by her son, Tim and his wife, Cindy of Shawnee, Oklahoma, her daughter-in-law, Glenda Smith of St. Louis, Missouri, her sister, Polly Jameson of Cardwell, Missouri, Earl Maple and wife, Judy, of Huntington Beach, California, five grandchildren: Heather Hamby and husband, Craig of Fenton, Missouri, Erika Sevic and husband, Drew, of Ballwin, Missouri, Chris Smith and wife, Marissa, of Edmond, Oklahoma, Susie Vasquez and husband, Jarrod, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, Marcus Smith and wife, Haley, of Edmond, Oklahoma, eleven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, November 23, 2019, at the Highland Drive Church of Christ in Poplar Bluff with visitation on Saturday morning between the hours of 10:00 —11:30, at the same location. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: In Search of the Lord’s Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083 or at searchtv.org.