Winifred "Winnie" Frances Batman Smith

Winnie will be remembered by many and was known as the person who would make you feel special and loved. Winnie enjoyed spending time with her family, sewing, crocheting, reading, and playing Bingo.

Winnie was born in 1921 in the town of Gage, Oklahoma to Frank M. and Talma Batman. Winnie was raised in her adolescent years by her mother Talma and her step-father William Goodnight. Growing up an only child, Winnie was very close to her Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Glenn and Aunt Helen and Uncle Dean and her cousin Jeri Innis.

Winnie grew up in Gage, Oklahoma and later in Laverne, Oklahoma. Winnie graduated in 1939 from Laverne High School in Laverne, Oklahoma. She then attended Albuquerque School of Nursing, Albuquerque, New Mexico where she graduated a Registered Nurse in 1943. After graduating nursing school she moved to California where she took a job at The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, California working in the polio ward. Winnie completed her nursing career and retired from Sacred Heart Hospital, Hanford in 1986.

While traveling home on a train, Winnie met the love of her life Leonard Leroy Smith. He was in the Navy and on leave and she had been visiting her parents in Kansas. They married on December 28, 1951, at the Little Country Church, Hollywood, California. Together they had six children: Sylvia Marie, Pamela Kay, Leroy James, Leonard John, Iris Lynn and William Allen.

Winnie attended church at Lakeside Community Church and the latter part of her life she attended services at The Remington Retirement Community in their Chapel.

Her later years were spent at The Remington Retirement Community where she made many wonderful friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Leonard, and son, Leroy James Smith.

Surviving Winnie are her children Sylvia Hollis (Jon), Pamela Corwin, Leonard Smith (Debi), Iris Lynn Giordano (Tony), William Smith (Allison). Grandchildren: Gregory Silvestri, Brandon Silvestri, Siobhan Ortega; Misty Angotti, Daniel Corwin, David Corwin; Jana Lynn Giordano, Anthony Giordano, Jr.; BryAnn Smith, and Micah Smith.

And her Great Grandchildren: Tyler Ray Giordano, Taylor Silvestri, Dylan Silvestri; Alexander Ortega, Joshua Ortega; Jordyn Wingfield, Michael A. Roddy III, Hessie Ann Roddy, James Richard Corwin, Peyton Corwin, Baylee Marie Corwin.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at the Remington Retirement Community located at 2727 N. 11th Avenue, Hanford, CA 93230 559-587-9999. A Private Burial will be held at Los Angeles National Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to a charity of your choice in Winnie’s name.