Evelyn May (Hartzler) Smith, 89, passed away Thursday, October 28, 2021 at Greencroft Healthcare.
She was born May 24, 1932 in Cass County, Missouri to Clarence and Nellie (Yoder) Hartzler.
On June 27, 1956 she married Maurice E. Smith in Garden City, Missouri.
He survives along with three children, Gail (Randy) Blosser of Goshen, Stanley (Carolyn) Smith of Elkhart and Susan (Milad) Hanna of Goshen; eight grandchildren spread from Pacific to Atlantic; 7 great-grandchildren plus one on the way; and two sisters, Mary Kathryn Yoder and Esther Hartzler, both of Harrisonville, Missouri.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Helen Kenagy and Ethel Hartzler; and a brother, J.T. Hartzler.
Evelyn was a member of East Goshen Mennonite Church and a life member of Arkansas State Teachers Association. She had a masters degree in education and was a Kindergartener and Elementary teacher. She enjoyed amateur radio and crafts and was very creative, photographed nesting and feeding birds. She wrote a book of wildflowers of Izard County, Arkansas and identified butterflies and mushrooms.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service at East Goshen Mennonite Church. Pastors Merle Hostetler and Naomi Yoder will officiate. An additional visitation will take place Thursday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service at Sycamore Grove Mennonite Church in Garden City, Missouri.
Burial will follow at Clearfork Cemetery, Garden City, Missouri.