Margaret M. Smith

SMITH, Margaret Mary of South Setauket, NY, formerly of Miller Place and Great Neck on November 25 in her 97th year. Beloved wife of the late Fred, loving mother of Fred (Karen), JoAnn (Jeffrey Deitz), the late William (Lori) and Margaret (Orland Heath). Devoted grandmother of Leslie (Michael Karkos), Fred P. Smith (Jessica), William Deitz and Andrew Deitz, and great-grandmother of Phoebe Karkos, Andrew Smith and Sean Smith. Cherished Aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Born in New York City, the seventh of eight children of Joseph F. and Anne Gillespie. She was one of two students in her elementary school to be chosen to attend Cathedral High School in Manhattan. After graduation, she attended St. Vincent’s School of Nursing in Greenwich Village and graduated with her R.N. in 1937. While there she met the brother of a classmate, Fred G. Smith, a graduate of Cornell University. They married in 1941 and moved to Bayside, N.Y. They had two children, Freddie and JoAnn, then moved to Great Neck, N.Y. While Fred worked at Grumman, they had two more children, Bill and Peggy. Margaret was a devoted mother, but was also active in the Rosary Society and the Legion of Mary at St. Aloysius Church in Great Neck.

After her husband’s retirement in 1976, they moved to Marbeth Circle in Miller Place. Margaret was president of the Miller Place Senior Club and active in the choir of St. Louis de Monfort R.C. Church. She also became the most beloved member of the neighborhood, happily making herself useful to and cherished by her friends. In 2009 she moved to Jefferson’s Ferry Retirement Community in South Setauket, where she became an active and delightful member.

Family will receive friends from 2-4 and 7-9 pm on Saturday and Sunday at OB Davis Funeral Home, 4839 Nesconset Highway, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 (631)473-0360. Funeral Mass at St. Louis deMonfort RC Church, Sound Beach, Monday at 10 am. Interment following at Lakeview Cemetery, New Canaan, CT.