Barbara Ann Smith, 83
Barbara Ann Smith, 83 of Anacortes, WA passed away March 18, 2020 at St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, WA of a blood infection.
She was born in Butte, MT, the first of 3 children to Earl and Alvaretta (Hand) Conklin.
Mom grew up in Argenta, MT where she attended grade school in a 1 room schoolhouse. She graduated from Beaverhead High School in Dillon, MT. in 1955. Shortly after graduating she married Alfred “Smitty” Smith and they moved to North Idaho. Their plan was for Dad to work at the Sunshine Mine just long enough to acquire a grubstake and head to Alaska. Plans changed with the births of their 3 children and they decided to settle in the Silver Valley. Dad retired from the Sunshine.
Mom was an amazing woman! She was warm, loving, compassionate, and stubborn, with a wonderful sense of humor. She was a great cook and loved collecting and trying new recipes. She loved crafting and was a talented seamstress making most of my school dresses and many of her own clothes. She also knitted all of our hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and slippers. She did beautiful embroidery, crewel and needlepoint. Her favorite pastime was reading, she was a voracious reader of all genres but preferred mysteries the most. She enjoyed crossword puzzles and ciphers.
Mom was very proud of her years as Postmistress at the Burke Post Office and was heartbroken when it closed. She loved meeting and visiting with all of her “Post Office people.”
She was a loving and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. Our home was filled with lots of love and laughter. Mom felt that God had put her on this earth to be happy and she was. Some days more than others, but she always found something to be grateful for or happy about.
Mom was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred her mother Alvretta, stepfather Lee James and father Earl Conklin, Uncles William and Horace “Booky” Hand. She is survived by children Tim/Melody Smith of Colville, WA, Wendy Stephenson of Anacortes, WA, and Wayne “Jeep”/Lonnie Smith of Mt. Vernon, WA. Her 15 grandchildren Rebecca Greer, Jeremy Dry, Chris Webb, Sarah, Crystal, & Sammi Stephenson, Chris (Cheryl) Smith, Trina (Jason) Bisaro, Mandi (Kevin) Lind, Amber Wood, Stephani (Chris) Johnston and 17 great-grandchildren. Her brother Earl (Jean) Conklin Jr. and sister Darlene Rose. Aunts Louise Shafer and Shirley Groff. Many nieces, nephews and cousins, including a special double cousin Myrna Carpita. In addition to her large family she leaves many dear friends, especially Phyllis Keenan my “big sister” and Renee Potter her unofficial granddaughter.
A Celebration of Life will be held tentatively in Dillon, MT sometime in August