Melba Louise Rowlett-Smith, 73, died Wednesday evening, Dec. 27, 2000, at Gritman Memorial Hospital, following a long struggle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
She was born Feb. 2, 1927, at Trask, Mo., to Stanley and Lenna Rowlett.
She married Victor Everett Smith in 1945 and they moved from the Ozarks in Missouri to southern Idaho, where he had worked on the railroad some years previous. They lived on a small acreage near Twin Falls until 1985 when they moved to Moscow to live with her daughter's family.
The eldest of three sisters, Melba had a lifelong love of learning despite not being able to attend school beyond the eighth grade and difficult family circumstances. Over her lifetime, she worked successfully as a seamstress specializing in fine tailoring, and as a proofreader, desk editor and computer operator for the Twin Falls Times-News. Before she retired to live with family in Moscow, she was the manager of a credit union in Twin Falls, a position she held for many years.
She learned to crochet, embroider, and quilt, and was accomplished at each. She continued her interest in quilting until the time of her death. She also canned fine fruits and jams for her family and was quite proud of her beautiful roses.
She loved the outdoors and anything connected to nature, feeding birds and squirrels year-round. She and Victor built a cabin near Lowman, Idaho, where they spent much of their time when they were in better health.
She traveled throughout the United States with her husband and various members of her family or good friend, Belva Larson, over the years. She loved driving and the open road, joking that in another life she might have been a truck driver. She taught herself to play piano and would play and sing while her husband played guitar.
Melba was important in the lives of her four grandchildren and had the opportunity to become close to each of them, providing support, guidance, wisdom and humor over the years.
Despite her difficult struggles with cancer and the treatments for it, she remained thankful for her life and kept her sharp sense of humor even to her last days.
She is survived by her husband Victor of Moscow; a daughter, Sandra Haarsager of Moscow; a son, Michael Smith of Rupert, Idaho; two sisters, Marjorie Dalton of Indianapolis and Joy Snelson of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Anna and Andrew Haarsager of Moscow and Angela and Nathan Smith of Rupert.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow with the Rev. Joan Montagnes officiating.
Memorials are suggested to Latah Care Center or Sojourner's Alliance.
Lewiston Morning Tribune (ID)
Date: December 30, 2000
She was born Feb. 2, 1927, at Trask, Mo., to Stanley and Lenna Rowlett.
She married Victor Everett Smith in 1945 and they moved from the Ozarks in Missouri to southern Idaho, where he had worked on the railroad some years previous. They lived on a small acreage near Twin Falls until 1985 when they moved to Moscow to live with her daughter's family.
The eldest of three sisters, Melba had a lifelong love of learning despite not being able to attend school beyond the eighth grade and difficult family circumstances. Over her lifetime, she worked successfully as a seamstress specializing in fine tailoring, and as a proofreader, desk editor and computer operator for the Twin Falls Times-News. Before she retired to live with family in Moscow, she was the manager of a credit union in Twin Falls, a position she held for many years.
She learned to crochet, embroider, and quilt, and was accomplished at each. She continued her interest in quilting until the time of her death. She also canned fine fruits and jams for her family and was quite proud of her beautiful roses.
She loved the outdoors and anything connected to nature, feeding birds and squirrels year-round. She and Victor built a cabin near Lowman, Idaho, where they spent much of their time when they were in better health.
She traveled throughout the United States with her husband and various members of her family or good friend, Belva Larson, over the years. She loved driving and the open road, joking that in another life she might have been a truck driver. She taught herself to play piano and would play and sing while her husband played guitar.
Melba was important in the lives of her four grandchildren and had the opportunity to become close to each of them, providing support, guidance, wisdom and humor over the years.
Despite her difficult struggles with cancer and the treatments for it, she remained thankful for her life and kept her sharp sense of humor even to her last days.
She is survived by her husband Victor of Moscow; a daughter, Sandra Haarsager of Moscow; a son, Michael Smith of Rupert, Idaho; two sisters, Marjorie Dalton of Indianapolis and Joy Snelson of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Anna and Andrew Haarsager of Moscow and Angela and Nathan Smith of Rupert.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow with the Rev. Joan Montagnes officiating.
Memorials are suggested to Latah Care Center or Sojourner's Alliance.
Lewiston Morning Tribune (ID)
Date: December 30, 2000
Melba Louise Rowlett-Smith, 73, died Wednesday evening, Dec. 27, 2000, at Gritman Memorial Hospital, following a long struggle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
She was born Feb. 2, 1927, at Trask, Mo., to Stanley and Lenna Rowlett.
She married Victor Everett Smith in 1945 and they moved from the Ozarks in Missouri to southern Idaho, where he had worked on the railroad some years previous. They lived on a small acreage near Twin Falls until 1985 when they moved to Moscow to live with her daughter's family.
The eldest of three sisters, Melba had a lifelong love of learning despite not being able to attend school beyond the eighth grade and difficult family circumstances. Over her lifetime, she worked successfully as a seamstress specializing in fine tailoring, and as a proofreader, desk editor and computer operator for the Twin Falls Times-News. Before she retired to live with family in Moscow, she was the manager of a credit union in Twin Falls, a position she held for many years.
She learned to crochet, embroider, and quilt, and was accomplished at each. She continued her interest in quilting until the time of her death. She also canned fine fruits and jams for her family and was quite proud of her beautiful roses.
She loved the outdoors and anything connected to nature, feeding birds and squirrels year-round. She and Victor built a cabin near Lowman, Idaho, where they spent much of their time when they were in better health.
She traveled throughout the United States with her husband and various members of her family or good friend, Belva Larson, over the years. She loved driving and the open road, joking that in another life she might have been a truck driver. She taught herself to play piano and would play and sing while her husband played guitar.
Melba was important in the lives of her four grandchildren and had the opportunity to become close to each of them, providing support, guidance, wisdom and humor over the years.
Despite her difficult struggles with cancer and the treatments for it, she remained thankful for her life and kept her sharp sense of humor even to her last days.
She is survived by her husband Victor of Moscow; a daughter, Sandra Haarsager of Moscow; a son, Michael Smith of Rupert, Idaho; two sisters, Marjorie Dalton of Indianapolis and Joy Snelson of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Anna and Andrew Haarsager of Moscow and Angela and Nathan Smith of Rupert.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow with the Rev. Joan Montagnes officiating.
Memorials are suggested to Latah Care Center or Sojourner's Alliance.
Lewiston Morning Tribune (ID)
Date: December 30, 2000
She was born Feb. 2, 1927, at Trask, Mo., to Stanley and Lenna Rowlett.
She married Victor Everett Smith in 1945 and they moved from the Ozarks in Missouri to southern Idaho, where he had worked on the railroad some years previous. They lived on a small acreage near Twin Falls until 1985 when they moved to Moscow to live with her daughter's family.
The eldest of three sisters, Melba had a lifelong love of learning despite not being able to attend school beyond the eighth grade and difficult family circumstances. Over her lifetime, she worked successfully as a seamstress specializing in fine tailoring, and as a proofreader, desk editor and computer operator for the Twin Falls Times-News. Before she retired to live with family in Moscow, she was the manager of a credit union in Twin Falls, a position she held for many years.
She learned to crochet, embroider, and quilt, and was accomplished at each. She continued her interest in quilting until the time of her death. She also canned fine fruits and jams for her family and was quite proud of her beautiful roses.
She loved the outdoors and anything connected to nature, feeding birds and squirrels year-round. She and Victor built a cabin near Lowman, Idaho, where they spent much of their time when they were in better health.
She traveled throughout the United States with her husband and various members of her family or good friend, Belva Larson, over the years. She loved driving and the open road, joking that in another life she might have been a truck driver. She taught herself to play piano and would play and sing while her husband played guitar.
Melba was important in the lives of her four grandchildren and had the opportunity to become close to each of them, providing support, guidance, wisdom and humor over the years.
Despite her difficult struggles with cancer and the treatments for it, she remained thankful for her life and kept her sharp sense of humor even to her last days.
She is survived by her husband Victor of Moscow; a daughter, Sandra Haarsager of Moscow; a son, Michael Smith of Rupert, Idaho; two sisters, Marjorie Dalton of Indianapolis and Joy Snelson of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Anna and Andrew Haarsager of Moscow and Angela and Nathan Smith of Rupert.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow with the Rev. Joan Montagnes officiating.
Memorials are suggested to Latah Care Center or Sojourner's Alliance.
Lewiston Morning Tribune (ID)
Date: December 30, 2000
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