Emma Jean Smith
Emma Jean (Eakin) Smith passed away early in the morning of Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at the Columbia Basin Care Facility in The Dalles, OR, following complications from a stroke.
Emma Jean was born January 3rd, 1925 to Dell and Vesta (Newton) Eakin on their family farm in Grass Valley, OR, the youngest of four children. Following two major accidents, one which claimed the life of her brother, Walter, and another which took the leg of her father, Emma Jean had to help with the animals and garden on the farm.
She met her future husband, Myrle Smith in the summer of 1937 when he worked for her father on the family farm. She and Myrle were wed on October 3rd, 1942 in St. Francis, KS. They spent a short honeymoon with his parents near Eckley, CO. She then followed Myrle from one base to another for the next three years as he completed his service in the US Army Air Corps. They came home to the Eakin family farm in Grass Valley, OR in 1945, where they made their home.
Emma Jean and Myrle enjoyed traveling and visited many worldwide locations. They took 10 overseas trips and enjoyed something unique about every adventure. A few locations they particularly enjoyed visiting were the Scandinavian Countries, Africa and China. In addition to traveling internationally, they traveled within the United States extensively, finding that Branson, MO was among their favorite spots to go. In addition to traveling together, Emma Jean and Myrle enjoyed gardening, growing a significant portion of their own fruits and vegetables in their large green house and garden.
Emma Jean loved to sew, making most of her and Myrle’s clothing, her Granddaughter Melanie’s wedding and bridesmaids dresses, and countless other garments. She greatly enjoyed passing this skill on to interested children. She led the Sherman County 4-H sewing club for over 50 years, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2009.
She was also well known for giving back to her community; she joined the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Celilo Chapter in 1989 and held numerous leadership positions, including Registrar where she was instrumental in registering 64 new members to the organization. She donated extensively to the fundraising efforts to benefit the scholarship opportunities managed by the group.
Emma Jean’s interest in history and specifically genealogy was a never-ending quest. She extensively mapped the Eakin family genealogy and coordinated and led the Eakin Family Reunion for many years. It was this same interest and skill that she leveraged into helping DAR gain all those new members.
She was predeceased by her parents Dell and Vesta Eakin, sisters Leta (Eakin) Boitnott and Gertrude (Eakin) Van Metre and brother Walter Eakin. Myrle also preceded Emma Jean in death in 2012 after almost 70 years of marriage. She is survived by her sons, Lowell who continues to live on the family farm and Gordon of Post Falls, ID. She has five grandchildren, Melanie (Smith) Morris and spouse Phillip of The Dalles, Jason Smith & spouse Michelle of Tualatin, Luke Smith of Walla Walla, WA, Cara (Smith) Rullman and spouse Nick of Richland, WA and Laura Smith of Everett, WA. She has six great grandchildren Kayla, Sydney, Kailee, Cayden, Althea and Emma. She is also survived by Sheri Elligsen of Alaska, whom she considered a daughter. Her beloved dog, Lady Bug, who was her constant companion following Myrle’s death, has been adopted by Jason and his family.
A memorial service will be held at Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home on April 9, 2022 at 11am. A celebration of life and potluck will follow at the 4-H Pavilion located at the Sherman County Fairgrounds, Moro, OR. at 2pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following charities which were special to Emma Jean:
Sherman County 4-H Association
Care of: OSU Sherman County Extension
66365 Lonerock Rd., Moro, OR 97039
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Celilo Chapter
Att: Julie Cantrell
710 Henderson Rd., Hood River, OR 97031
(Please make checks payable to Celilo Chapter, NSDAR)
Sherman County Historical Society (where Lowell continues to volunteer)
P.O. Box 173, Moro, OR 97039