Ellen M. Smith

West Des Moines

Ellen M. Smith, 88, passed away June 23, 2013. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines with burial at Glendale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church with a rosary at 7 p.m.

Mom. Grandma. Baba. Sweetheart.The Queen of hearts. Dealer of Oreos. Our Matriarch.

Ellen Smith sat at the center of our universe. Her strength and selflessness inspired a sense of family that has ingrained itself generations deep. She gave her love unconditionally, with no strings and no complications. Her personality could best be described as “sassy” and her feisty nature lent itself toward laugh-out-loud jokes and quirky sayings that you loved to repeat but never truly understood.

Ellen spent 67 years married to her true love, Don. They raised ten children of their own but she welcomed all of their friends, neighbors, dates and spouses into her home with equal enthusiasm. She held a special place in her heart for children and eagerly held, and had a hand in raising, each of her 43 grandchildren and then 29 great grandchildren. Their memories of her are laced with Oreo cookies, “scratchies”, twisting torts by hand, homemade bread, perfectly-painted red fingernails, fried chicken, card games and always the smell of garlic (because you can never add enough).

Ellen’s faith was her foundation. She stood strong as she took on all of life’s challenges, never uttering a word of complaint and always doing what had to be done. Ellen knew that no matter what, Jesus loved her and would be good to her. She aspired to love as her own mother had, forever believing that there was always room for one more at her table.

The rest of the world fell away during a conversation with Ellen. She created a one-on-one connection that made it impossible to believe you were anything but her favorite (as each of us knew we were). Her ability to love so endlessly, and yet so specifically, turned cousins into siblings, blood ties into lifelong bonds and her home into the epicenter of our world.

Ellen’s home reflected her outlook on life. Photos of her family took up every available inch of the refrigerator door and alternated for space on the walls between crosses, scripture and humorous quotes like, “You’re not the boss of me.” She insisted on hosting every family holiday, complete with her famous torts, endless hugs and your promise to come back sooner rather than later. No matter what we tell ourselves, no one can question the fact that she did indeed love us more.

Ellen is survived by her children, Danny (Rose), Craig (Becky), Annie (Jerry) Miller, Chris, Susan (Dale) Gooding, Mary Ellen, Mark (Stacie), Jeff, and Matt (Robin); daughter-in-law, Vicki Smith; 43 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Pauline Griffith.

Ellen is preceded in death by her husband, Don; son, Doug, parents, Andrew and Anna Haluska; four brothers and four sisters.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family for future designation.