Mildred Smith

Mildred Ellene (Coppenbarger) Smith, 94, formerly of Decatur, IL, died at 4:00 a.m. Monday, March 31, 2014, at Lexington Health Care in Lombard, IL. A graveside memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 3, at 1:30 p.m. at Fairlawn Cemetery. The family requests that no flowers be sent and that instead donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Mrs. Smith's name Ellene, as she preferred to be called, was born on November 16, 1919, in rural Kenny, IL, the daughter of George and Edna Coppenbarger. Ellene graduated from Kenny High School in 1937 and soon after moved to Clinton and then to Decatur where she worked in the dry cleaning business. On November 30, 1946, she married Rex B. Smith. Their first home was on Green Street in Decatur while they built a new home on West Oak Lane which was then north of the city. Rex and Ellene lived on Oak Lane from 1949 to 1987 where they raised their two children Marilyn and Diana. For many years Ellene worked as a cook for the Decatur Public Schools. In 1980, Ellene was stricken with a severe form of leukemia but through chemotherapy treatment, she fought off the illness and went into complete remission for the remainder of her life. In 1987 they sold their house and purchased a mobile home. In 2005 after her husband's death, she moved to the Chicago area to be closer to family. Ellene was a member of First Christian Church, Moose Lodge #684, and BPO Elks Lodge #401, Decatur. She enjoyed travelling, dancing, gardening and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Ellene was especially known for her excellent home cooking. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Rex of 58 years and her brother Lyle of Washington, IL. Ellene is survived by daughter Dr. Marilyn Evrard and her husband John of Glen Ellyn, IL, granddaughters Jennifer (Evrard) Johnson of Guilford, CT, and Caitlin Evrard of New Orleans, LA, and by daughter Diana Dirkse of Ostburg, WI. (Obituary written by family members.) "
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