Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith, of Ames, Iowa, died on August 3, 2021. A memorial service will be held Friday, August 6th at 2:30 p.m. at Collegiate Presbyterian Church, 159 Sheldon Avenue, Ames, Iowa. Burial services will be held privately at Iowa State Cemetery in Ames.

Phyllis was born in 1927 on a farm near Gladbrook, Iowa, the fourth of five daughters born to Harry W. Seydel and Esther Bruene Seydel. She graduated from Gladbrook High School and graduated from the two-year Teachers Program at Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She later graduated with a BA degree from the University of Iowa, and did postgraduate study at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, Drake University, and at Iowa State University. On June 13, 1958, she married Gerald Smith; their marriage was blessed with a son, Brian. She taught for more than 30 years in the schools of Vinton, Cedar Rapids, and Ames; including Lincoln, Meeker, Welch Junior High, and Sawyer schools.

Phyllis was a member of Collegiate Presbyterian Church for over 60 years and served for more than 25 years on its rummage committee. She was a long-time member of the Fortnightly Book Club, several education associations, Reiman Gardens, and other organizations. For nearly 20 years, she was a daily swimmer at the Gateway indoor pool.

She is survived by her son, Brian Smith and daughter-in-law Fazia Ali of Miami Beach, FL; nephew, Sam (Tristan) Houston of Morgan Hills, CA; nieces, Toni (Michael) Black of Quincy, IL, Jeri (Robert) Kenning of Evansville, IN, Linda Johnson of Ames, Lisa (Michael) Thompson of Traer, and Lori (Ronald) Huebner of Evansville, IN; one grandnephew, David (Dana) Ludwig of Quincy, IL; and two grandnieces, Kelli Kenning (Joseph) Day of Evansville, IN and Catlin Thompson of Traer, IA.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald; her parents; sisters, Marjorie Frey, Lois Lorenz, Joyce and Barbara Seydel; brothers-in-law, Lyle Lorenz, Kenneth Frey and Gene F. Smith; and sister-in-law, Johnina Smith. Online condolences may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com