Edna Smith

Edna Francis (Long) Smith was born to Mary and Roscoe Long on May 8, 1922, at the family home in Independence, Kansas. She passed away early Sunday morning, October 13, 2019. Her family consisted of an older brother Paul, sister Louise, and younger brother Roscoe Jr. She graduated from Independence High School in 1940, then continued her education at Independence Community College for three semesters. The last semester she decided to help the war effort by going to work at the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant in Parsons, Kansas. Edna married Wayne Smith on November 7, 1943. They were married 63 years.

They first lived in Parsons, then moved to Fredonia, and in 1948 moved to Neodesha where they resided until their time of death.

Edna worked most of her life as a secretary and bookkeeper. Her places of employment included the Neodesha United Methodist Church, W-T Equipment, Wilson County Hospital, Lorentz- Clark Law Office, and finally the Neodesha Housing Authority. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, a women’s bowling league, Birthday Club, and United Methodist Women. Her bowling league once won the Kansas tournament and went to national competition.

Edna was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and her parents and her brothers, Paul, Roscoe and sister, Louise (Long) Willard. She is survived by her daughter Marilyn (Smith) Graham and husband Bob of Fredonia, and son Gary Smith and wife Debbie of Neodesha. She has two grandchildren, Tawny (Smith) White and husband Travis, and Erin (Graham) Spaeth and husband Andrew of Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

Her great grandchildren are Abigail White and Garik Spaeth.

Funeral services will be held at the Neodesha Methodist Church on Friday, October 18 at 2:00 PM. Family visitation will be held at the church before the funeral from 1:00 until 1:45.

Instead of flowers the family has requested that anyone wanting to contribute may donate to the Neodesha Methodist Youth, the Neodesha High School Alumni Scholarship Fund or the Harry Hines Hospice, and can be left at Loran Fawcett Chapel in Neodesha, KS. On-Line condolences can be left to the family by going to www.loranfawcettfuneralhome.com