Jean Smith

On Saturday evening, April 28, 2012 Jean Smith peacefully passed away in her sleep. Jean was born daughter of William W. Lanham and Alice H. Fleming on their family farm seven miles northeast of Cozad, Nebraska, in the center of the state. The middle child of five siblings, she graduated from high school in Cozad and taught one year of rural school before going to Long Beach, California, where she found a job and attended Long Beach Business College in 1936. She married Harold J. Smith in 1939 and he started working as an engineer for the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, California and later for Northrop aircraft.

As her three children were growing up, the family frequently went camping in the mountains of California and Jean volunteered in her children’s youth groups. When her oldest child started college, Jean re-joined the workforce starting with the IRS and then working as a bookkeeper for a construction company. She completed an Associate Degree in bookkeeping at community college and then worked for various school districts, colleges, and medical office in southern California over the next 20 years.

She enjoyed playing the piano and her Hammond organ, helping out at the church. After retirement she volunteered in the Literacy Program and with the church Family History program. Over a period of 50 years, Jean and her oldest daughter gathered and organized family records and photos from the 1850’s up through present times.

The family is grateful to and thanks CNA’s Sterling Court, and Dixie Home Hospice (Cindy, Georgia, Janny) for the extra care and comfort they gave to Jean, especially these last months and weeks.