Delyla Smith

McFarland - Delyla J. (Rice) Smith, age 89, died June 11, 2014 at Skaalen Nursing and Rehab Center. She was born on January 24, 1925, at Sioux Falls, SD to Herman Jay and Lela Rogge Rice. The family moved to the Beloit/South Beloit area in 1926. She graduated from South Beloit High School in 1942. She was married to Ervin D. Smith on September 25, 1943. They lived in New Bern, NC while her husband was stationed at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Base. Upon his discharge from the Marine Corps in 1946 they returned to South Beloit where they lived until 1952. At that time they moved to Boscobel, WI where they owned a bulk oil and gasoline distributorship. They moved to Madison in 1964 when her husband began working for the State of Wisconsin, Bureau of Petroleum Inspection. In 1967 they moved to the McFarland area and have lived there since that time. She was a legal secretary in New Bern, NC, and Beloit and Boscobel, WI; office manager for an accounting firm, and word processing supervisor and manager at Ohmeda in Madison.
Wherever they lived, she was always active in her church. She became one of the church organists at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beloit when she was 15 years old and continued until her marriage. Upon their return from North Carolina in 1946 she resumed that position until 1952 when they moved to Boscobel. There she was one of the organists from 1955-1965, taught Sunday School, organized and directed a children's choir, and was active in the Lutheran Church Women. They were members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Madison from 1965-1969, where she again was substitute organist and taught Sunday school. Upon their move to McFarland in 1970, both she and her husband became active members at McFarland Lutheran Church. There she was a Council Member; was on the Finance, Stewardship, Gifts & Memorials, and OWLS committees; helped the Financial Secretary with the church offerings since 1989; was Skaalen Home Liaison for 10 years; belonged to Rebecca Circle since 1972; and became a Befriender in 2004. Her Church always grew and sustained her spiritual life and was a large portion of her social life as well.
She is survived by her daughter Eileen (Kenneth) Brost of McFarland, her son Dana (Ellen) Smith of West Des Moines, IA; four grandchildren, Amy (Harvey) Wang, Rachael (Matthew) Powell, Kriston Smith, and Megan Smith; a brother Dennis Rice of Virginia Beach, VA; and 4 great grandchildren Lela, Sam, Leo and Harper.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 2003, her Father in 1989, her Mother in 2001, and an infant grandson in 1973.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday June 18, 2014 at McFarland Lutheran Church, 5529 Marsh Rd, McFarland, WI, with Rev. Kelli Schmit presiding. Entombment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park Mausoleum. Friends may call from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services on Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Skaalen Nursing and Rehab Center or McFarland Lutheran Church.
Her family would like to thank the staff of Skaalen Nursing and Rehab for all their loving care of Delyla.