Irene Smith Norton

IRENE WRIGHT SMITH NORTON, 93, Olathe, Kansas passed away April 24, 2017 at Olathe Medical Center following a fall in her home. Graveside services will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 29 at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Kennett, Missouri.

Irene was born January 31, 1924 in Corning, Arkansas to Jesse Thomas Wright and Matilda Fickert Wright. She graduated from Kennett High School. In July of 1956, she married Walter Raymond Smith of Kennett. Irene and Walter had two daughters, Kim and Kristi.

Irene worked at Smith’s Store for Women in Kennett for many years, until the family moved to Overland Park, Kansas in 1970.

One of Irene’s hobbies was cooking and baking, which she turned into a home-based business of custom-decorated cakes for all occasions. She also catered parties, primarily wedding receptions. She made wedding cakes for her nieces’ weddings, as well as for many customers. She loved gardening, and grew roses, irises, hydrangeas, peonies, and tomatoes. She remained an active gardener, working in her yard only 4 days before her death. She also loved cats, including her most recent companion, Daisy.

Following Walter’s death in 1989, Irene joined a seniors’ group and traveled. During one of her trips, she met Fielding Norton, Sr., whom she married in 1994. She and Fielding enjoyed ballroom dancing and had many active years together until Fielding’s death in 2009.

Irene was able to remain in the comfort of her own home until the end, thanks in part to the assistance of her wonderful caregivers, Brenda Crow and Elizabeth Kihara.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband Walter Smith, her husband Fielding Norton, Sr., and her eight siblings. Survivors include her daughters Kristi Smith Wyatt (Ken) of Lenexa, Kansas and Kim Smith (Robert Stanley) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, many nieces and nephews, her step-son Fielding Norton, Jr. (Janice), step-daughter-in-law Jane Norton, and many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren on the Norton side of the family.