 Julia H. Smith, age 97, of Yankton died Tuesday, January 15, 2008, at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 19, 2008 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Yankton, with Rev. Ken Bain officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Yankton, SD. Visitations will be 6 to 9 PM, Friday, with a rosary at 7:00 PM followed by a scripture service at 7:30 PM at the Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton, SD. Pallbearers will be Mark, Tim, Patrick, Paul, and Stephen Smith and Jeff Jackson.
Mrs. Smith was born Julia Helen Wilson on April 26, 1910 in Missouri Valley, IA to the late Hannah Ryan and Edward Wilson. She was raised and educated just south of there in Omaha, NE, with her seven brothers and sisters. It was there that she met her future husband, the late Arthur J. Smith, M.D., who was attending medical school at Creighton University. In 1937, they moved to their permanent home in Yankton, building their historic chalkstone house atop Chalkstone Hill, just outside of town. Julia raised their family of four boys there: James, Joseph, John, and Thomas.
When Arthur died in 1953, Julia held the family together financially, spiritually, and emotionally, along with the help of Charles J. "Chug" Smith - Arthur's younger and brother, a farmer - who she married in 1964. Julia and Chug finished raising the boys, seeing each other through good and bad times, including the death of her son, Tom. They lived out their golden years in the home on Chalkstone Hill, until they moved to Majestic Bluffs in 1999. Julia lost Chug later that same year.
Julia was renowned as the Smith family matriarch. With infallible social elegance, a ready smile and unremitting kindness, her name was synonymous with "graciousness" to those with the good fortune to know her. Julia's faith and devout Christianity were evident in her everyday life; she attended Mass often at Scared Heart Church. She rarely had an ill word to say of anyone. She played bridge with her lady friends. She collected porcelain birds. She never let anyone else pay for dinner. She welcomed strangers as friends, with a hug and a smile. She called everyone "darling". She had a contagious laugh. She smelled great. She always had Nilla Wafers in her cookie jar.
At the end, Julia, faced a decade-long decline under the compassionate care of the Majestic Bluffs staff. With the help of her loved ones, she endured the ailments and indignities of old age in the same way she always lived: with grace.
Julia was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Arthur and Charles, her sons Joseph and Thomas, her brothers Thomas, Frank, and Conrad Wilson, and her sisters Anita Tracy and Josephine Schierbrock. Julia is survived by her sons, James (Lavon) Smith of Phoenix, AZ and John (Reva) Smith of Omaha, NE; her daughter-in-law Leah Smith of Yankton, SD; and her brothers Edward Wilson of Sun City, CA and Eugene Wilson of Dubuque, IA. She also leaves nine grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren, and one great great granddaughter.
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