Betty Ruth Smith

She was born on October 27, 1933, in Warren County, Tennessee, the daughter of Melton Oscar and Hannah Mae (Summers) Bailey. Betty had resided in Delaware County since 1941. She retired from Lowery’s Candies where she served as the “big dipper.” Betty was a devout member of the West Side Church of Christ, a congregation she helped establish and build with her late husband, Herb Smith. She loved her family dearly and enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens. Betty enjoyed helping and taking care of others. She cared for and loved her husband, her “Pride and Joy” from their wedding day until and through his final years.

Survivors include her three daughters, Deborah Perry, Muncie, Indiana, Susan (husband, Tom) Cloninger, Maumelle, Arkansas, and Teresa (husband, Don) Allison, Yorktown, Indiana; seven grandchildren, Ross (wife, Alycia) Perry, Bevin (husband, Arthur) Green, Megan (husband, Hayden) Cruce, Kristy (husband, Matt) Burch, Katie (husband, Casey) Robinson, Kassandra Allison, and Bethany (husband, Thomas) Williams; eight great-grandchildren, Cade, Arthur Thomas, and Kian Green, Riley and Gavin Burch, Lucy Robinson, and Jace and Sadie Cruce; her siblings, Christine Jarrell, Jim (wife, Edwina) Bailey, Dewey (wife, Janice) Bailey, Joyce Colvin, Lois Schlagel, Joe (wife, Billie) Bailey, and Cindy Taylor; her in-laws, Jim Smith, Beulah Elaine (husband, Don) Taylor, Paul (wife, Peggy) Smith, Fran Bailey, and Jerry Wilhoite; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of sixty-six years, Herb Smith; son-in-law, Kevin Perry; and her siblings, Melton Bailey Jr., Melba Wilhoite, and Wayne Bailey.

Services to celebrate Betty’s life will take place 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 5, 2019, at Elm Ridge Funeral Home, 4600 West Kilgore Ave, Muncie, Indiana, 47304, with Mike Gors officiating. Burial will follow in Garden of Memory Cemetery.

Family and friends may call from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2019, at Elm Ridge Funeral Home, or one hour prior to services on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to Lads to Leaders C/O West Side Church of Christ, 6600 West Kilgore Avenue, Yorktown, Indiana, 47396.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.elmridgefuneralhome.com.