Mildred Elzora Smith

GARNER - Mildred "Millie" Smith, 92, of Garner died Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Memorial services will be held 1:30 P.M., Saturday, January 12th at the United Methodist Church in Garner with Pastor Paul Evans officiating. Inurnment will be in Concord Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Memorials may be directed to the Garner United Methodist Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Mildred Elzora Smith, the daughter of T. Earl and Lois (Jones) Thornton, was born August 23, 1920 in Des Moines. She graduated from Des Moines North High School in 1938. On April 26, 1941 she was married to Ronald E. Smith at St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines. They lived in Adair, Dexter and then moved to Garner in 1946. In 1950, they purchased the Viken Hardware Store located where NIPCO is today. They continued to operate the store as the Smith Hardware, Heating and Plumbing Store and later moved to their present location on the west side of State Street. After Ron passed away in 1981, Millie continued to operate the store with her son, Lynn until retiring at the age of 87. She enjoyed golfing, traveling and playing bridge.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church, UMW and past member of the Garner Chamber of Commerce.

Millie is survived by her children, Cheryll (Duane) Toppin of Ankeny and Lynn Smith (Kathy Aberg-Smith) of Garner; grandchildren, Heather Toppin, Robin Toppin, Ronald (Sara) Smith, Taylor Smith, James (Miranda) Aberg, Bethany Aberg and Emberly Aberg; and great-grandchildren, Laura Toppin and Noah Aberg.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald E. Smith; son, Alan W. Smith; her parents, T. Earl Thornton and Lois Creekmore; step-father, Monte Creekmore; twin granddaughters, Sarah Jo and Mary Kay Toppin; and a sister, Violette McKirgan.