Nancy Lee Smith

Nancy Lee Smith of Eureka passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sept 5, 2020 at the age of 80.

Born May 29, 1940 to Ernest & Anna Beidle of Cornucopia, Wisconsin, the family moved to Crescent City when Nancy was 7. Ernest worked for the post office; her mother, Anna, worked as a grocer.

Nancy attended Del Norte High School, where she met her highschool sweetheart Lawrence Smith Jr. They were married 1957 in Reno and honeymooned at Disneyland. She volunteered as a ‘Pink Lady’ at St Joseph Hospital. Lawrence worked as a longshoreman. Together they purchased Christians Ice Cream Parlor in 1982 and renamed it Smith’s Ice Creamery. They ran it as a family. Their best seller was Oreo. Lawrence worked at the longshoreman hall in the mornings and by the afternoon he was at the creamery bringing flavors he imagined like licorice to life. They added a flower shop in 1983 and ran them both until 1992 when they retired and sold it to the Chin Family.

Nancy & Lawrence loved traveling all over California in their motorhome and playing on their boat in the Trinity River. They hosted sleepovers for their grandkids. If they weren’t playing a board game or pinochle Nancy was taking the kids to Sequoia Park and the duck pond. Nancy was the best hostess. She inherited her mother-in-law Evelyn Smith’s Blue Ribbon winning recipes. She loved Thanksgiving and if you were lucky enough to attend the Jello Salad was a must-have.

Nancy maintained an incredible greenhouse of orchids. She didn’t mind sharing her gardens with the deer who would visit. She often traveled with her Sister. They enjoyed Tahoe, New Orleans, Sedona and family reunions in Wisconsin. Nancy never made it on a cruise to Alaska. Nancy loved Tom Jones, opera and Englebert Humperdink. She always had a honey-do list for her son-in-law, Thomas Shively whom she adored. She regularly gave to Wounded Warriors, St Judes., Shriners and several Animal Rescue Groups

She is survived by her daughters Cindy Shively & Dana Greathouse (Dan), grandchildren Cameron Shively, Sara Shively-Pugh, Kyndra Williams, her sister Arline Luz as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Nancy is also survived by her good friend Linda Sellars & Family and her beloved cats.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband Lawrence L Smith Jr, her parents Ernest & Anna Beidle, her in-laws Lawrence Smith Sr & Evelyn Smith, sister-in-law Dorene Fowler, and son-in-law Thomas Michael Shively.

Services will include a viewing and rosary at Sacred Heart Church Sept 21st at 1 p.m. Private family interment following afterwards. Funeral Mass to be announced. Donations can be made to the Humane Society or Miranda’s Rescue in her name.