Alice Smith, 96, formerly of West Liberty

Alice Crawford Smith, age 96, formerly of West Liberty, rural Nichols and Lone Tree, died of heart disease Saturday, July 24, at the Crestview Care Center in West Branch, where she had resided since May 1, 2008.

Visitation for Alice was held 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, at the Sorden-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services in Lone Tree. Online condolences may be sent to the Smith family at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com. Private internment took place at the Lone Tree Municipal Cemetery.

Alice was born in Johnson County on May 7, 1914. Her parents were George R. Crawford and Julie Huskins Crawford. Alice grew up on her parents’ farm, located approximately two miles northeast of Lone Tree, and she attended Lone Tree High School. Her mother died Oct. 7, 1963, and her father died March 15, 1975. She was also preceded in death by all four of her brothers, George A. Crawford, Claire Crawford, Amon Crawford and Charles Crawford.

Alice was married to Merrill W. Smith of Lone Tree in 1931 and they had four children. They were divorced in 1940. Merrill died of heart disease on Sept. 12, 1980, in Sacramento, Calif. Alice is survived by all four of her children, namely, Donald Smith of Ames, Evelyn Smith Gowdy of Lakewood, Calif., Robert Smith of West Liberty and Gary Smith of Spencer. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Alice missed her home during the past two years, but she also came to enjoy Crestview with its very nice facilities and the loving people who staffed it. Her health was always good enough that she could “put put” through the hallways with the aid of her walker right up to the day before her heart gave out.

Alice also took great delight in having her first cousin, Carolyn Idle Wolf, as a fellow resident at Crestview. Alice and Carolyn took their meals at the same table every day. Alice and Carolyn were the last two surviving members of their generation of the pioneering Crawford family of Johnson County. They both died in 2010.