Rita R. Smith

Rita R. Smith, 79, of Home, KS, died Saturday, October 11, 2014 at her home. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 15, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 16 at the Evangelical United Church of Christ in Marysville. Rev. Judy Scott will officiate. The musicians will be Deb Bruna and Valerie Oltman. Music will include “Old Rugged Cross”, “On Eagles Wings”, “One Day at a Time”, “Amazing Grace” and “In the Garden”. Burial will be in the North Elm Cemetery north of Home, KS. Rita was born July 27, 1935 south of Marysville, KS, to Charles and Freda (Behrens) Butler. She graduated from Marysville High School in 1954. On May 29, 1955 she married Eldred Smith at the Evangelical United Church of Christ in Marysville. To this marriage two daughters were born, Lynette and Laurie. Rita enjoyed helping Eldred on the farm, spending time outdoors, gardening, going for drives, watching wildlife, and dancing. She was a 4H Cooking Leader, loved making pies and she cooked for many years at the Senior Center. She was a member of the Evangelical United Church of Christ, Women of the Moose, Red Hatters, and various neighborhood social clubs. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, David Butler; sister, Lilly Mae O’Neil Graham; and sister-in-law, Nada Patterson. Survivors include her husband, Eldred; two daughters, Laurie Cameron and Ken Cacek, Summerfield, KS, and Lynette (Scott) Day, Home; sister, Doris (Virgil "Pete") Peters, South Hills, VA; three brothers, Charles (Sandi) Butler, Jr., Englewood, CO, Merlin Butler, Peoria, AZ, and Steve (Joy) Butler, Marysville; and five grandchildren, Justin Cameron, Lana Cameron, Justin Cacek, Haley Day and Jodi Day. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated at a later date. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rita R. Smith, please visit our flower store.