The Stiever Family

Phyllis L. Smith died Oct. 23, 2009, at St. Anne Extended Health Care in Winona. Phyllis Lorraine Heller was born Dec. 22, 1924, in St. Paul, to Caroline Heller. She was lovingly raised by Anna Walch and her children Joe, Andy and Gladys in Rollingstone and Winona. Phyllis graduated from Cathedral High School in Winona in 1942. She worked for Gate City Insurance in Winona and several other insurance companies in Minneapolis and California. She married W. Wayne Smith on Oct. 3, 1945, at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif. She was proud of her honorary diploma from the University of Notre Dame for supporting her husband through school, which she received when he graduated in 1948. Phyllis was a devoted wife, homemaker and mother, who will be remembered for her quick wit, optimistic attitude and great sense of humor. Phyllis and Wayne loved to travel; special trips included Australia, Africa, and throughout Europe and Mexico. They especially enjoyed meeting family and friends in Acapulco every winter for 30 years. Her other interests included bridge, reading, crossword puzzles, and theatre. She was a longtime member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Catholic Daughters, and was a strong supporter of Winona Catholic Schools. She volunteered for the Volunteer Services Meals on Wheels program for more than 25 years and was awarded Volunteer of the Month in 1992. She also volunteered for many years at St. Anne Extended Health Care. She is survived by a son, Sherman (Lori), and five daughters, Sydney Smith, Paula (Ed) Krage and Sara (Jeff) Brandon, all of Winona, Mariclaire (Dr. Kevin) Fleming of Rochester and Emily Smith (George Hartley) of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.; 12 grandchildren, Jason (Anne) Smith, Britton (Sandra) Smith, Matthew Krage, Christopher, Kyle, and Kelly Brandon, Alyson, Daniel and Leo Fleming, and Quinn, Grace and Jaret Hartley; four great-grandchildren; brothers in-law, Charles (Marie) Smith and Father Leland Smith and sisters-in-law, Marion Cunningham and Joan Roskos, all of Winona. She was preceded in death by her husband, mother, infant son Phillip, granddaughter Rosemary Spence Krage, brothers-in-law Leo (Buster) and Edward Smith, and sister in-law Nina Smith. A funeral Mass will be at noon Wednesday, Oct. 28, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Winona, with the Rev. Roy Literski and the Rev. William Becker officiating. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service-Hansen Goodview Chapel. A Christian prayer service will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.