Mary E. Smith

Forestport - Mary Evelyn (Galle) Smith, 83, widow of Leroy and a resident of Kincaid Road since 1975, passed away Friday, November 21, 2008, at St. Luke's Memorial Hospital, New Hartford, after a long illness. A native of Forestport, she was born on December 4, 1924, a daughter of Edwin John and Elizabeth Wingert Galle. She grew up in the Forestport area, attending the District #8 Rural School before completing her education at Forestport High School. For thirty-five years Mrs. Smith was employed at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, retiring on April 1, 1987 from the 485th Government Classified Information Word Processing Section. On December 22, 1945, Mary was united in marriage with Leroy E. Smith at the Boonville Methodist Church. Mr. Smith, a retired carpenter and mason, died on March 17, 1996. Mary greatly loved animals of all kinds, and for several years she and her family ran a hobby farm known as "Whirlwind Acres" on the Kincaid Road near Forestport. Mrs. Smith attended Forestport Presbyterian Church. Many years ago she served on the Forestport Board of Education and was a member of the Forestport P.T.A. Mary is survived by one daughter and her fiance', Renita Rae Smith and James VerSchneider, Forestport; a nephew and a niece with whom she was very close, Andy Grabauskas, Forestport, and Betty McKinley, Collierville, TN; and several other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was predeceased by a brother, LeRoy C. Galle, and by a sister, Lena Grabauskas. Her funeral service will be Monday at 1:00 p.m. at the Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. 143 Schuyler Street. Boonville, where Anne Reynolds, Lay Preacher of the Forestport Presbyterian Church will officiate. Interment will be in Beechwood Cemetery, Forestport. Calling hours are Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contributions in Mrs. Smith's memory may be made to the Lewis County Humane Society, 6388 Pine Grove Road, Glenfield, NY 13343, the Forestport Presbyterian Church, or a charity of your choice.