Elaine Alice Smith

Elaine A. Smith passed away at Heartwood Place in Woodburn, Oregon on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at the age of 92. Elaine was born on October 19, 1929 as Alice Elaine Smith, the elder daughter of John W. and Kathleen Smith in Corvallis, Oregon. They lived on farmland which is now Camp Adair until she was 12 years old. In 1943, the family moved to Horseshoe Lake Road in St. Paul, Oregon. Elaine farmed alongside her mother and father, moving irrigation, driving tractor and feeding livestock. She attended St. Paul Academy and St. Paul High School. Her classmates were Dick Kirk and Bob Merten among others. She walked to school every morning with her sister, Carol. Every spring, she rode her horse to school along with her neighbor Jane Smith. When Elaine was 18 years old, she legally changed her name to Elaine Alice. She went hunting with her father in Canada and shot a moose, kept the molar teeth and later made them into cufflinks. She was St. Paul Rodeo princess in 1947 and queen in 1948. She worked at Ernst Hardware and married the “boy next door” Dave Smith at St. Paul Catholic Church in October 1954. She continued to work driving school bus and cooking school lunches, all while farming row crops alongside Dave and raising their five children. She was famous for her round kitchen table where countless friends shared meals and wisdom. Whenever there was something not going quite right on the farm, she would pound her fist on that table and say in jest “fun on the farm!” She was known for her meals-on-wheels, taking home-cooked lunches and dinners to the hop picker every day during harvest. Once the kids were raised, Elaine and Dave enjoyed many trips to see the world - New Zealand, Hawaii, Mexico, China and several road trips in the Holiday Rambler motorhome. Dave and Elaine celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2004 surrounded by all their family. The St. Paul Rodeo remained near and dear to her heart. Following the 4th of July parade, she hosted an open house luncheon at her home for many years. She enjoyed over 35 years of active volunteer service in the St. Paul Rodeo Association and was inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2019. Her family called Elaine the “Original Rodeo Grandma”. Elaine’s grandkids and great grandchildren all considered her house their second home – the door was always open and there was always food and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She taught every grandchild to drive on the dirt roads to “Rockin’ Island”. She enjoyed gardening, especially roses, and still mowed her own lawn at 88 years of age. She loved her dogs (Toby, Rover, Gunner, Ally and Scooby) and going on long walks with them in town and on her farm where she grew up. Elaine was preceded in death by husband Dave, daughter Rebecca and sister Carol. She is survived by her children Sally Johnston, Dave and Lisa Smith, Lynne and Rick Turpen, Ben and Cindy Smith, ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and numerous godchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Paul Volunteer Fire Department Ambulance Fund. All are welcome to a graveside service on Monday, January 31, at 11am at the St. Paul Catholic Cemetery with lunch to follow at the St. Paul Community Hall. Following lunch, please join the family to have a beer in Elaine’s memory at the farm brewery at 2187 Horseshoe Lake Road NE, St. Paul. This was her wish to remember and celebrate her life.

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Elaine Alice Smith

October 19, 1929 - January 8, 2022