Lucille Smith

Lucille Marie Ingram was born March 1, 1933, the only child born to Lester C. Ingram and Dorothea E. (Rateuke) Ingram. She died on June 6, 2019 in Wichita Kansas, at the age of 86 years, 3 months and 5 days.

She was baptized December 1, 1935 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church by Rev. Carl F. Pohlman.  Lucille was confirmed in the Lutheran faith March 30, 1947 by Rev. Ludwig Scholl, and remained a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church throughout her lifetime.

A life-long resident of Goodland, Kansas, she received her education at the first Central Elementary School, Grant Junior High, and Sherman Community High School.

On August 30, 1953, Lucille and Robert L. Smith were married at Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  He was stationed at the US Naval Base at Alameda California.  He was discharged July 1, 1955 at which time they purchased their home at 1117 College Ave., where she continued to live after his death on January 30, 2006.

To this union three children were born; daughter Eunice, and sons Timothy and Thomas.

Lucille sang in the church choir, taught Sunday school and was also the Sunday school treasurer.  She belonged to Luther League and later she and her husband were sponsors for Luther League.  She worked in the archive room at the church for several years.

She baby-sat for children from 1962 through 1965.  She and Robert opened their home to foster children for fourteen years from 1969 through 1983.

Lucille worked as Secretary of Emmanuel Lutheran Church for five years from 1966 to 1971, donating much of her time.  She was employed by USD #352 as a Secretary of Central Elementary and North Elementary Schools for twenty-one years, from 1974 until her retirement on June 1, 1995.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

She is survived by her children; Eunice (Rick) Schroeder, Hugoton, Kansas, Timothy (Pat) Smith, Goddard, Kansas, and Thomas (Tammy) Smith, Denver, Colorado; four grandchildren; Nathan (Mead) Schroeder, Topeka, Kansas, Laura (Jesse) Phillips, Green Ridge, Missouri, Christopher (Monica) Smith, Kuna, Idaho, Sarah (Joe) Zelaznik, Carson City, Nevada, three step-grandchildren, Michelle Harper, Ashley, and Patrick Arnold, all of Wichita; eight great-grandchildren; Tambre, Alayna and Havley Phillips, Jaxon and Ryne Schroeder, Fox Smith, and Isaiah and Sloane Zalaznik; sister-in-law Mona Helfrich, many nieces and nephews, and countless friends.

Lucille was very proud of all the achievements of her children and grandchildren; she enjoyed working on family genealogy; she worked with the Sherman County Historical Society on the histories of Main Street buildings and recorded histories of long-time residents of Sherman County, and she loved working with her flowers and in her garden.