Verdie E. Smith, 79

Verdie E. Smith passed in Billings on April 16, at the age of 79.

Verdie was born April 6, 1937, in Jamestown, North Dakota, to Bill and Ranada Klundt.

She grew up in Worden and Shepherd, Montana, on sugar beet farms with her parents and siblings. The family moved off the farm after her junior year in high school. In 1955 she graduated from Billings Senior High School. After graduating she went to work for the Epcon Sign Company, where she worked as the accountant.

In 1955 she met and later married the love of her life, Howard Smith. During the early part of 1967, they acquired the gem of family (Patrick), a son who altered life (occasionally for the better). They lived and worked in Billings and Ballantine Montana until 1971, when they moved north of Whitefish to a ranch. Verdie went to work for the accounting firm of Miller, Eigeman, Hanson and Saurey, where she worked until 1981. She was extremely proud of the people and work they performed during those years.

In 1991 she received the true gems to the family, Patrick’s wife Marieta and three grandsons, Michael, JB and Nicholas, whom she loved and cherished very much. The family then moved to Eureka, where Verdie as co-owner with Howard managed Cut Diamond Real Estate until 1998. During the spring of 2005, she moved back to Billings to spend time with family and friends.

During her life, with her best friend and partner Howard, there was always a strong work ethic and commitment to the family. Having a half-acre garden, helping feed or calve cows, or even milk one occasionally was the norm. This meant that there was always fun to be had before you went to work or when you returned home in the evening. It was always explained to Patrick that this brought great enjoyment (and an occasional colorful word) to mom and dad (took a while to figure it out!).

After moving to Billings, gardening provided great pleasure. She grew a bushel or two of tomatoes, cucumbers and squash in her planters every summer. Verdie took great pride in being a member and queen of the local group “The Red Hat Society,” arranging activity and getting together with the groups from within the state and nationally. She had just been honored for being a 35-year member of the “Women of the Moose Lodge.” She was an avid card player and will be missed in many pinochle and bridge games.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Howard Smith, and her parents, Bill and Ranada Klundt.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Patrick and Marieta Smith; grandsons, Nicholas Smith, JB Malixi and Michael Malixi; and three brothers, Verlyn, Orville and Merrill Klundt.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the First Christian Church, located at 522 North 29th Street, Billings. Visitation begins at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at Smith Downtown Chapel, located at 925 South 27th Street in Billings. Interment is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Tobacco Valley Cemetery in Eureka. A gathering will follow at First Baptist Church.

Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting smithfuneralchapels.com