Greta Ione Smith

The daughter of Lloyd and Mabel (Price) Pond, Greta grew up in Moncton where she was involved in countless church programs and activities. She pursued her passion for working with children and attended Teachers College and taught in the public school system for a number of years. She married Adrian and as she raised her family she continued to work with children being instrumental in creating the Rothesay Cooperative Nursery School and several head start programs. She also served as the Sunday School Superintendent and an Elder at St. David’s United Church in Rothesay for many years.

After her boys were grown, she answered a call to ministry and attended Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax and was ordained by the Maritime Conference of the United Church in 1988. She served congregations in Oak Bay NB (Oak Bay, Rollingdam, The Ledge, Moores Mills, and Old Ridge), Saint John, NB (Carleton-Kirk), and Bermuda (Ebenezer Weslyan Methodist), and served on many Presbytery, Synod, Conference, and General Council committees before retiring and settling in Halifax to be close to her grandchildren.

Greta is survived by her husband Adrian, Halifax; sons Eric (Adele), Halifax and Peter (Meredith), Antigonish; sister Nola (Bob), Moncton and brother Doug (Karen), Moncton; grandchildren Kyle, Jason, and Hope as well as many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, brother Bill Pond and his wife Mercy, and her sister Patricia Beers and her husband John Beers.

Greta had a lifelong joy of working with children, teaching, and being part of the church. She loved spending time with family especially with her grandchildren. She enjoyed doing her daily puzzles with Adrian, listening to classical music, and reading whatever book was on hand in her retirement as well as catching up with family members, friends, and neighbours. Emails, phone calls, and cards meant the world to her and brightened her day when she found it hard to get out.

Cremation has taken place and there will be a service to celebrate her life in the spring. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Soul’s Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax (https://soulsharbour.ca/), the Mission and Service Fund of the United Church of Canada (https://united-church.ca/donate), or to another charity.

The family want to thank the staff of V6W at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building in Halifax for their kind and compassionate care in her final years.