Shirley Arlene Smith

Shirley Arlene (Clements) Smith was born Aug. 9, 1927, at the family farm two and one half miles south of Imperial, Nebraska, to Homer Cecil and Caroline Ruth (Watts) Clements. Shirley attended Imperial Grade School and graduated from Chase County High School in 1945. After graduation, Shirley worked at the Chase County Courthouse.
On Dec. 3, 1946, Shirley married Stanley Smith in Imperial and to this union two children were born, Clyde and Jane. The couple settled on the Smith farm 21 miles northwest of Imperial where they raised their family. After her marriage to Stan, Shirley’s full time job was, as she said with pride, “a Farmer’s Wife.”
In September 1962, Stan and Shirley moved their home to Imperial and lived at 330 West 6th Street until January 2017 when they moved to the Imperial Heights.
Shirley loved going to garage sales, thrift shops and flea markets with her best friend Carol Tyerman. She also loved playing cards with friends and family. Shirley enjoyed several years of traveling with Stanley to Kaiser Car Shows. The couple spent several winters traveling to Texas and she especially loved to go across the border into Mexico and bargain with the street vendors.
Shirley was active in her community. She was a member of the Pink Ladies, a parent sponsor of the Y-Teens and she helped chair and co-chair many high school activity dinners when her children attended high school. Shirley served as the chairman of the United Methodist Women’s funeral dinner committee for many years.
Shirley passed away Friday, May 18, 2018, at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home in Imperial. She was 90 years of age.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Homer and Carrie Clements.
Survivors include husband Stan of Imperial; son Clyde (Lanette) of Billings, Montana; daughter Jane (Darrel) Norris of Erie, Colorado; five grandchildren: Dorinda Gunderson, Kevin Smith, Shane Smith, Jeff Hunter and Carrie Weiker; five great-grandchildren: Olivia Gunderson, Grace Gunderson, Teague Smith, Brock Smith and Emma-Leigh Weiker; sisters Wava Daschofsky of rural Imperial and Lois Siefkin of Imperial; brother Frank Clements of Imperial; brothers-in-law Les (Sue) Smith and Gene (Kathy) Smith all of Imperial.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 23, at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Imperial with Rev. Melody Newman and Pastor Dirk Weiss officiating. Interment followed at Mount Hope Cemetery, Imperial.
Visitation was held Tuesday, May 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home in Imperial.
Memorials have been suggested to the Chase County Historical Society.
Online condolence maybe left at liewerfuneralhome.com.
Liewer Funeral Home of Imperial was entrusted with arrangements.