Loving memories of a special lady will forever have a place in my heart. She gave me memories of a mother that I never had. She holds a very special place in my heart

Rip Aunt Rita I wish I could have spent more time with you all you will be missed and forever loved.

I am so very sorry for your loss. She was a sweet lady. My love and prayers . 
Nancy Phipps Carr. 


Rip Aunt Reta!! Lots of love to all of you!! Not an easy time!! Thoughts & prayers 💕💝🙏🏼
Jodi L Phipps


My Love and Heart goes out to all of you. Bless you Our Sweet Aunt Reta. I Love you with all my Heart and soul xo🌹🌹💓💞🌹
Rebbecca Bynacker


My condolences to you and your family 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Losing a parent is always difficult.💙💙💙💙 Your mom was such a great person 🌹🌹🌹🌹
Theresa Pully-Busko


Im so sorry Pam she was my favorite math teacher she will be missed. God bless you and give you comfort and peace🙏🙏🙏RIP Mrs. Smith🙏🙏🙏
Cynthia Radtke


My heart is very sad for you and your family.  Your mom was a wonderful lady. I am so thankful that I got to meet her and go play bingo with her and my mom and Sandy.  Lord be with you and your family. 
Sharrie Wengstrom


Woodard jr high school -teacher- home room -Sports coach
Softball c team
Go roadrunners
Carol Connor


She was the best softball coach around...Country Girls softball league on Avenue C and 12th street....AND a few times when Pam and I were in our wild teen years....lol she was always there to come pick us up!!!!
Stephanie Quinn-Vanak


My favorite and best math teacher ever RIP TEACH
Jeff Wammack


Reta was like a second mom to me. I spent a lot of time in their home and always felt loved and welcome. She was also my teacher and really took the time to help me. She will be missed but now with God. Amen 💕💕
Stacey Shands-Howe


On summer vacation when it was to hot to be outside Rita taught all of us how to play canasta. We played for hours and soon summer was over.  She showed us all how to like ourselves, something l truly needed. Thank you Reta, you will always be loved and truly missed.
Brittsean Smith


Reta Smith was my sunday school teacher, my softball coach and the mom I always turned to when things got rough when I was a kid . Thank you Reta for teaching me love was always the way. God has taken home his angel.  You will be missed.
Dalene Smith-Athens

June 1, 2021
We are saddened by the passing of Reta. We will always cherish the many memories that our families shared. Our thoughts are with Reta's daughters and family. We wish that we were able to make the service and pay our respects but we are unable to attend. She will be dearly missed.
Pete and Tracey Fletcher
Family

June 4, 2021
In my youth, my very best friend was my cousin, Reta. The years have taken a toll on my memory but I can still remember the fun we had together. We loved paper dolls and we used to buy them with our spending money. If we didn’t have enough for each of us, we would put our few coins together and buy one book and share them. We were really good at sharing back then. We would cut clothes for our paper dolls out of the old Sears Roebuck catalogues and use bobby pins to keep them on. I wish I still had that old shoe box filled with our treasured paper dolls.

When we were about 6 years old, we lived within a half mile of each other in Somerton. When our mom’s wouldn’t let us go to each others house, we would ride our bikes to the old fallen tree which was about half way, and that’s where we spent so many happy days.

In later years, my favorite thing was spending the night together. I especially liked staying at her house. Reta, David, Pete and I had so much fun together. Reta went on vacation with my family several times. There was nothing better than that!

Over the years we got busy with our own kids and families and didn’t see each other all that much; but I always loved her. Reta had a very gentle way about her and she had a loving heart. Reta, I’m so glad I had you in my life and I’ll miss you.


Your loving cousin,
Oteka
Oteka Bigler
Family

              "YOUR MOTHER IS ALWAYS WITH YOU......"
'She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, 
She's the smell of certain foods, the flowers you pick and the fragrance of life itself...
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well,
She's your breath in the air on a cool winter day...
She's the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep,
The colors of the rainbow-She's Christmas Day...
Your Mother lives in your laughter,
She's the place you come from, your first home and the map you follow with each step you take..
She's your first love, first friend and even your first enemy...
But--nothing on earth can separate you..
NOT TIME, NOT SPACE and NOT EVEN DEATH!'
              "Your Mother Is Always With You............"
                                                                                      Author Unkown

Elsa "Reta" Welch was born in Jacumba California on October 14th, 1941 to parents Elzie and Beulah Welch and brother Newell "David" Welch. When she was a year old the family moved to Somerton Arizona and remained there before finally moving to Gadsden Arizona, where she lived until her college years. She attended Yuma High School where she graduated in 1959..She then attended Nazarene College in Pasadena California for two years before returning to Yuma Arizona to marry her sweetheart David John Smith on December 1st, 1961.
The Smiths welcomed their first daughter, Daniele on June 20th 1963, their second Pamela on May 21st 1965, their third Debra on October 14th 1967 and finally, their fourth Sharrie on October 26th 1971.
With their family complete, "Reta" returned to college at the University of Arizona  where she graduated and began a longtime teaching career at Woodard Jr. High, in Yuma, teaching math. While at Woodard, she coached and led girls softball and the Math Counts program to many championships. She also bowled with the Teachers Bowling League for many years.
"Reta" was very active with her girls in all their sports throughout the years and taught Sunday School at Grace Nazarene Church.
"Reta" and "Dave" remained married for 52 years until his passing in 2013.
During these years, their family grew from 4 daughters  to 9 grandsons-(1 deceased) and 19 great grandchildren.
"Reta's" passion in life was loving God, her family, her NY Yankees, UofA sports teams, softball, bowling, bingo and watching her grandsons wrestle.
"Reta" was the greatest and most compassionate mother and grandmother anybody could ask for. She was gentle, loving and supported everything her children and grandchildren participated in.
She was the kindest person to any and all she ever met.
"Reta's" belief and faith in the Lord carried her throughout her lifetime.
"Reta" returned home to her Savior on May 24th 2021, and will be missed and loved by any and all those she met in life.


ALL THE SPECIAL PEOPLE /FAMILY WHICH WAS IMPORTANT IN HER LIFE........... MEMORIES OF HAPPY DAYS PAST.

MOM WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, EVEN IN HER TEENS SHE ALWAYS SHOWED HER BEAUTY..... SHE WAS THE GREATEST PERSON I EVER KNEW

OUR LAST TRIP TOGETHER NOV. 2020 TO LAKE HAVASU AZ TO VISIT FAMILY... WAS A GREAT VACATION.. GREAT MEMORIES. LOVE YOU MOM

MOMS FAVORITE RIDE AT KNOTTS BERRY FARM FROM MARCH 2020......OUR TRIP WITH FAMILY..WE HAD SO MUCH FUN. 

My memories with my auntie are none stoppable, and very beautiful with my relatives as well for my uncle David, Miss everyone that I shared my memories with to me that is a blessing to have in my heart. That's fishing an going shopping with her n my uncle. Love you both. R.I.P GOD BLESS YOU GUYS

Aunt Reta, I certainly regret not stopping by more often to visit you. I remember your expressions of happiness when I did. You were one in a million, a great person, and an amazing aunt. I wish I would have listened more when you were my math teacher in Jr high. I'll always remember your kindness, your willingness to help others, to find the good in others, and most certainly your patience, especially with me. Most definitely the glass of Pepsi on your desk. You and Uncle Dave were so much to me, my regret is I didn't tell you this enough. If there ever was an Angel on earth who earned those wings, it is you. I miss you so much and will forever love you Aunt Reta! 

Reta was the best softball coach ever. I played for country girls softball on avenue c and 12th Street, with Pam, Misty, Sophie and Raylene, and Norma!! Reta was also there to save Pam and I when we were needing a ride back in our young crazy days...thoughts and prayers to the entire family....Rest in Paradise Reta....🙏🙏🙏😘

Mom, you were everything to me, you were my best friend and life. I'm sorry we never got to do our road trip we planned, but I'm sure now you are in Heaven with our Father, and dad....... Life will be so different without you here. But I know in my heart we will be together in Heaven someday soon... Please say hello to my son Cody and give him, Uncle David, grandma and grandpa a big kiss for me....You are loved by so many and will be missed greatly... I know you aren't suffering and are living without pain. REST IN PEACE MOM--I LOVE YOU FOREVER,
Your Daughter, Pamela Smith-Herzog

❤️rip with the king Reta. My condolences & love to my entire Yuma family. Reta you were so loving, and kind to everyone, and will be missed dearly. I have great memories of the kids bus-bowling-cocopah casino-family reunions with speedball& aunt “B”. Reta you , @ Dave always made me feel right at home, yes & those big fat cuban cigars were classic. John 3:16  love 🌹

June 1, 2021 Tuesday
I'm Daugherty Lee Phipps II wife Gail Ann Phipps.  I knew Rita Smith and her husband Dave for alot of years. They are relatives of my husband. My husband's mother is Jackie Lou Phipps and was Dave Smith sister, but past away years ago of heart problems. 
My husband and I always visit his uncle and aunt with their four daughters and family. Never got a chance to see their grandchildren. We got to visit and some nice visit. 
My husband Daugherty Lee Phipps II was terrible saden when he lost his uncle,  as they were so close. I was told by his Uncle Dave and Aunt Rita that my husband help take care his cousins Danielle, Pamela, Debra 
 and  Sherrie when the girls were growing up. He watched them clean house, cooked, and anything else to help his Uncle Dave and Aunt Rita where ever they lived at.
My husband Uncle Dave and Aunt Rita will always be missed and be much loved for all the years. From all their dear friends, family and close business members they knew in their life time. They were ❤❤❤.

I have such fond memories of your mom.
Very sorry for your loss.

Grandma I am so happy I got to know you and have the pleasure of having you in my life. 
You took me in like I was one of your own and will forever be grateful.
I know you’ll be looking down on us forever and you will always be missed.
Love you from the earth to the sky, around the universe and back again❤️

Danielle I am so sorry to hear about your mom.  She was a lady that I loved when I was younger along with a lot of your family.  I have nothing but good memories of all the sleepovers,  loading up in your moms van going to church, and softball practices with you all.  My prayers to all of you.

Grandma, you were the most loving person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I wouldn’t change the times I got to live with you and grandpa. You support everything I have done full heartedly. Thank you for taking in a troubled teen and introducing me to the sport of bowling, which you did for all of us grandkids. I’ll never forget all the youth tournaments you took us on. If I can only be half the person you were I’d be more then happy. You will be missed. Love you so much. 
Love, your grandson Josh

PS. You’re  great grandchildren, Aaron, Jayden, Julianna, and KayKay miss and love you so much. 

OBITUARY

Elsa Reta Smith

14 October, 1941 – 24 May, 2021

Johnson Mortuary & Desert Lawn Memorial Park

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