Orpha L. Smith

Orpha Smith, our dear mother and grandmother, was welcomed home by our heavenly father following a brief illness on January 19, 2016.  She was at home surrounded by her family. 

Funeral Services will be 10:30 A.M.. Monday January 25, 2016, at Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. R. Paul Johnston officiating. Visitation will be Sunday January 24, 2016 from 4 till 8 P.M. with the family present from 5 till 8 p.m. and prayer service at 7 P.M. at the Church.  Burial will be in Bluff View Cemetery in Vermillion South Dakota.

.  Orpha was born in rural Dixon County, Nebraska on July 16, 1917, to Helga (Severson) and Elmer G. Anderson.  She attended country school there until she was 10 years of age.  At that time, she moved to Vermillion, South Dakota and graduated from Vermillion High School in 1935.  She married Ambrose (Bud) Smith of Huron, South Dakota on November 9, 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  They then moved to Omaha, Nebraska and later to Sioux City in 1945.  Orpha was Food Service Manager with the Sioux City Community Schools at Central High and East High from 1964 - 1987. 

She was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church for almost 70 years, Charter member of Eagles Auxiliary 2421, Pi Omega Mu Sorority, Siouxland Senior Center and Retired Educators.

Orpha lived her life to the fullest and found much enjoyment in her family and friends.  During her retirement years she spent winters in Arizona with her husband and enjoyed dancing at the Siouxland Senior Center.  She was an exceptional cook and was known to make the best pies around.  She will be remembered for her great sense of humor and her love of dressing up each day.  She was a loving Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Great-Great Grandmother.  She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and a sister, Eleanor Severson Sebring. 

Survivors included her two daughters, Jeanie and Ron Nichols and Joyce and Bob Van Waart all of Sioux City.

Eight grandchildren, Lori (Klay) Evers, Penni(Kory) Kistner of Sioux City, Roni Sue (Scott) Comstock of South Sioux City, Nebraska, Shawn (Kim) Johnson of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Ami (Rick) Landon of Castle Pines, Colorado, Patrick (Laurie) Johnson of Lake Arrowhead, California, Lori (Chad) Schueneman of Sioux City, and Wendy (Jay) Harris of Omaha, Nebraska.

Seventeen great grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, a nephew, Roger (Donna) Severson of Tucson, Arizona and a niece, Cindy (Eugene) Steffensen of DeSmet, South Dakota.

A special thank you to the community of Northern Hills Independent Living,  where she resided for the last 9 1/2 years.  Their compassion and friendship was greatly appreciated.  Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church.