Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11 am, Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Long Prairie for Doris E. Smith, age 88 of Long Prairie who passed away Thursday at CentraCare Health Systems-Long Prairie. Fr. Kenneth Riedemann officiated and burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetey, Long Prairie.
Doris Ellen Keelin was born December 2, 1928 in Iroquois, South Dakota, the daughter of Lyle E. and Louise (Bensley) Keelin. She grew up and attended school in Huron, South Dakota, graduating in 1946. She worked as a cashier at the JC Penney store in Huron. While working there she met her husband, a young salesman in the shoe department, Patrick E. Smith. They were married on August 14, 1950 in Huron. Their young family grew quickly including a set of twins and Doris soon found herself as a busy mother of 4 children under the age of 3 ½! Doris and Pat moved their family many times during their early marriage as Pat made his career with the JC Penney Company. They lived in Colorado, Iowa, Fargo, Valley City, and then Brainerd where they raised their children and Doris was employed as a bookkeeper at the B&N Credit Union. In 1972 they moved to Long Prairie where they owned and operated Smith’s Department Store until retiring in 1990. The couple then spent more than 20 winters at their Arizona home in Apache Junction.
Her Christian faith was central to Doris’ life and before her illnesses she was an active volunteer at her church, St. Mary of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Long Prairie. Doris loved to read and play bridge and she was an avid gardener, spending many hours working in her flower beds over the years. She enjoyed small town life and its many connections with friends and neighbors. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, especially her 12 grandchildren, which she did many times at family gatherings at the cabin on Lake Osakis. She was a wonderful cook and baker and hosted all holiday gatherings for her entire family well in to her 80’s.
Doris is survived by her husband of 66 years, Pat, of Long Prairie; children, Kathleen (Jack) Carlson, Washburn, WI, David (LuAnn) Smith, Spicer, Diane (David) Landgrebe, Bemidji, and Steven (Tina) Smith, Hinckley; two sisters-in-law, Ann Keelin, Burnsville, Darlene (Eugene) Biever, Pine City, three brothers-in-law, Jerry Smith, Pine City, Jim (Sherri) Smith, Vermillion, SD, and Mike (Sheila) Smith, Springfield, MO; 12 grandchildren, Tad Smith, Dan (Saras Raman) Landgrebe, Mike (Arsena) Smith, Nick Smith, Jeron (Paula) Smith, Dayna (Wade Johnson) Landgrebe, Anna (David) Guntlisbergen, Drew (Roberta Schwulst) Carlson, Lucas (Erin) Landgrebe, Katie (Brock) Junak, Kelly Carlson, and Maria Smith; and seven great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Natalie, Leah, Finnley, Zion, Solomon, and Jackson.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Dale and Jimmie.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-