Mary Fern McHenry Smith

She was born to Neville and Mary McHenry in Tacoma and raised nearby at American Lake where she graduated from Clover Park High School in 1943.

During World War II, Mary worked for the Navy War Department in Washington D.C.

She married Master Sergeant Revis L. Smith on July 6, 1948 and began raising an Air Force family, traveling to various duty stations in Europe and the United States.

In 1964, the family settled in Olympia where Mary was employed as a Legal Secretary for DSHS. She was appointed by Governor Dan Evans to be the first President of the National Women's Traffic Safety Board. She played violin with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra for 20 years. While in her 40's, Mary earned her B.A. degree as a student of the first graduating class of City College now City University in Seattle.

Mary's passions included family, friends, entertaining, traveling, golf, music, crossword puzzles, movies and living life to the fullest.

She was preceded in death by Revis in 1988, her sister Jo in 1998 and her brother Bert in 2004.

Mary is survived by her children: Karen Vail of Marysville, Charles Smith of Olympia, Robert Smith of Lake Stevens; her sister, Betty Strand of Olympia, her step-brother, John Rolland of Belfair; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held September 1, 2005 at 11:00 at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.