Evelyn Marie Smith, 95, Austin
Published 10:32 am Friday, May 31, 2013
Evelyn Marie (Wohlers) Smith, 95, of Austin, Minn., died Wednesday morning, May 29, 2013, at The Cedars in Austin from complications following a heart attack in late April.
Evelyn was born on Oct. 22, 1917, in Elkton, Minn., to John D. and Emma H. (Kraft) Wohlers. She attended elementary and junior high school in the Dexter-Elkton area and completed Elkton High School on May 31, 1935. After graduation, she worked in Austin for several firms including Hormel Foods Corporation.
On Dec. 9, 1945, Evelyn was united in marriage to Floyd C. Smith at her parents’ home in rural Dexter, Minn. After marriage, they lived and farmed on Floyd’s family farm, located on the Iowa side of State Line Road, east of Lyle, in their home built by Floyd. The couple had two sons, Roger and Dean. Evelyn was devoted to her church activities at the Union Presbyterian Church in rural Union Township, serving as Sunday School Teacher, President of the Ladies Aid and participating in many church activities. After the Union Presbyterian Church closed, her service to the church continued when the couple joined St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Toeterville, Iowa. Evelyn loved the farm life, baking, flowers and the many song birds visiting their farm. The couple enjoyed dancing and traveling, making trips to Chicago, Niagara Falls, Branson, Black Hills, Yellowstone and several winter trips to California to visit their son Roger and their two granddaughters, both of whom she loved dearly.
After retirement, Evelyn and Floyd moved to Austin in 1990 to reside at the Cedars. She continued her church life through her membership at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin. Evelyn and Floyd were married more than 60 years before Floyd’s death on April 1, 2006. Evelyn continued to call the Cedars her home and in 2013 became their longest permanent resident of 23 years, beloved by both staff and the other residents.
Survivors include her son, Roger Smith of Alamo, Calif.; her granddaughters, Allison Smith of Simi Valley, Calif., and Amy Smith of Rocklin, Calif.; her sister Donna Keck of Highland, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd; her son, Dean Robert Smith; and a sister and a brother, Albert, both as infants.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at the Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin, with the Rev. Michael Olmsted officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Worlein Funeral Home. Interment will be in Osage City Cemetery, Osage, Iowa. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.