Glenda Lee Smith

Born January 5, 1922, she was the beloved wife of the late Loy E. Smith; loving mother of Ron (the late Linda) Smith and Phyllis Smith; dear grandmother of Sandi (Joe) Ferguson, Eric (Melissa) Smith, and the late Mark Smith; great grandmother of Emmy, Maddie, Owen, Clara, and Hendrik; dear sister of the late John Antonio (Ruby) Heitman, Vernon Lloyd (Irene) Heitman, Ila Marie (Adolph) Ulrich, Bernice Heitman, and Jessica Heitman;

dear aunt, cousin, and friend.

SERVICES: Visitation 9am until time of service at 10am Saturday, December 27, 2025, Hoffmeister South Couth County Chapel,1515 Lemay Ferry Road, Lemay, MO.

Interment to follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, Leadington, MO.

The family requests memorial contributions in Glenda's honor be made to your favorite Animal Rescue or Shelter.

Glenda Heitman Smith

The 104 year Journey

MOM began her journey in Fredricktown, on January 5, 1922! It has been a journey with its challenges.

Mom’s mother died from complications within a month, leaving her, two young brothers, Tony and Vernon and her sister, Ila to be raised by her father, Henry.

Her father worked at the lead mines in Flatriver, Mo. until they closed Unable to raise four young children and work all day, he asked his sister Clara and his mother, Granny, if they would care for baby Glenda.

Clara and Granny raised her as their own while working several jobs and farming. Mom was that lonely little girl on a dead-end street on the outskirts of Fredricktown.

At the age of five, Mom walked three miles to kindergarten and back each day…by herself. No car, no school bus, just her short little legs!

Once her father found steady employment and rented a house in South St. Louis, he set out to reunite his family. Mom lived with her Dad and Granny. She took care of both of them, cooking, cleaning and shopping.

Mom finished school in South St Louis, walking all the way to Cleveland High each day, which is about five miles, each way!

However, Mom got lazy when she turned 19! She took a Greyhound bus to Fredericktown, instead of walking, to visit Aunt Clara. Little did she know she was about to begin a new journey.

That is when her and Dad’s eyes met at a Halloween Party. The rest is history...they soon married then Dad was called off to war. He was chasing Japs through the jungles on the other side of the world and Mom, six months pregnant.

Grandpa was at work when I started kicking to get out! So, Mom being Mom, packed a little suitcase and climbed on a streetcar, to get to the City Hospital by herself. That is how strong she was. In a few days, she repacked that suitcase, got on the streetcar and headed back to 7906 Michigan. This time she was not alone, I was with her.

From all accounts, I was not the easiest baby on the block to raise! But she prevailed.

For four years she never talked to her new husband. They just exchanged slow, highly redacted V mail letters. Most were a month in transit. She never knew where he was and was always aware that a Telegram could be delivered any time informing her that she was now a widow.

Dad finally walked home from Jefferson Barracks in 1945 to meet his three-year-old son and to kiss his wife!

When it became available, Mom, Dad, me and Skippy, the dog, made the long distance move to 7904 Michigan avenue where she lived the rest of her life.

Mom never complained or felt sorry for herself. Instead she kept looking ahead, taking care of her family.

Monday was always the wash day! A lot different then than now. She would slosh the laundry around in a real washing machine, rinse them in a separate tub, run them through a ringer, put them in a basket, run clothes lines around the back of the yard, pin the clothes to the lines, stick poles under the lines and hope it did not rain. If it rained, or not dry by nightfall, the whole process is repeated the next day.

Every day Mom would have dinner waiting for all of us at 5:00 sharp, so when Dad got home he could eat before heading out to his second job!

Mom made and kept lifelong friend throughout the neighborhood. She was always there to listen and help a person in need.

She did wear out those old bones continuing to walk everywhere! Miles of walking to and from the grocery stores, out to Lemay to visit her sister and friends, down Broadway to shop, to the bakery, on and on.

Mom and Dad had a little girl and they were devastated when the she died during the birthing process! She is buried here in this cemetery.

Mom continued to move forward, now taking care of her Dad and Granny that still lived at 7906 Michigan, next door. In 1949, Mom and Dad’s prayers were answered with the birth of another little blue-eyed girl, Phyllis, the perfect baby!

Mom made sure that Phyllis was always dressed in clean frilly dresses, no jeans, but a lot of skinned knees!

Mom maintained a close relationship with her brothers and sister and their children throughout their lives.

As expected, Granny and Grandpa moved to their next life and Phyl and I began our own journeys which lead far away from the nest. Mom and Dad were finally alone to enjoy and comfort each other.

Phyllis, after years on the road with her cousin Debbie and the theater group, Baggy Pants, established a career as an actor in Hollywood. She bought a house and made plans to resettle Mom and her as Californians.

Once a St. Louisian, always a St. Louisian. Mom wanted to remain at 7904 Michigan Avenue. When Mom made up her mind, only she could change it! Some would say she was stubborn, the politically correct would say she was strong willed! Whatever you call it, Mom stayed at 7904 Michigan for the rest of her life!

Phyllis split her time between California and St. Louis. Recognizing that Mom needed help, she moved back and made sure that Mom did not fall victim to COVID.

She truly was Mom’s guardian angel, never leaving her unattended.

Phyllis made sure Mom was comfortable and that her every need was addressed right to that final moment.

Mom was ready to start her new journey. She told Phyl about a dream she had in which her mother, Granny, Clara and Dad were reaching out to her and asked, “Glenda Lee, what took you so long!”

She also told Phyl she wanted to see her Mother.

On December 22, Mom closed her eyes and finally felt her Mother’s arms wrap around her for the first time.

Mom is continuing her journey with Dad, her mother, father, Granny, Clara, her brothers and sister and all of the friends that did not make that 104-year trip.

Mom, you don’t have to walk everywhere now.

Thank you MOM, you did a good job,

Love you!

Ron Smith