3 obituaries:

1st obituary: Wed. Nov. 25, 1964, Omaha World-Herald, Omaha, Nebraska

2nd obituary: Nov. 24, 1964, also in the Wed. Nov. 25, 1964 Omaha World-Herald (a side story)

3rd Obituary printed in the Nov. 26, 1964 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

1st Obituary:

SMITH—Mrs. Victoria, age 95 years, 806 N. 43d St., November 24, 1964. Survived by sons, Seymour L. Smith, Omaha, Roland P. Smith, Ft. Calhound, Neb.; daughter, Miss E. Arline Smith; grandchildren, Judge Robert L. Smith, Mrs. Bill (Vivian) Meyer, Roland Smith, Jr.; 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral Friday, 1 p.m. BRAILEY AND DORRANCE CHAPEL Interment Blair, Neb. Cemetery.

2nd obituary:

Victoria Smith Lived in Historic De Soto

Mrs. Victoria Smith, a native of the historic river town of De Soto near Blair and an Omaha resident for more than 40 years, died Tuesday morning at a local hospital. She was 95 years old.

She was the mother of Seymour L. Smith, Omaha attorney; E. Arline Smith, retired Omaha school teacher, and Roland P. Smith of Blair. She had lived for many years with her daughter at 806 North Forty-Third Street.

Her husband, Lee, a leading Washington County Democrat and farmer, died in 1916.

Her father, Charles Seltz, was a pioneer merchant in DeSoto.

Mrs. Smith took delight in reminiscing about the old town, recalling when the Indians came to her father’s store to trade furs for provisions. She remembered how her father learned to speak the language of the Omahas.

She was proud to relate her acquaintance with the late Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock, and recount the time she entertained him in her home when he was campaigning for office.

She also was host to William Jennings Bryan on many occasions.

Besides the two sons and daughters, she is survived by three grandchildren, District Judge Robert L. Smith of Omaha, Mrs. Vivian Meyers of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Roland Smith, Jr., of Blair, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Brailey and Dorrance Mortuary, with burial at the Blair Cemetery.

Pioneer, 95, Died Wednesday

Mrs. Victoria Smith Grew Up Here During Indian Days

Mrs. Victoria Smith, a pioneer Washington County woman, died early Wednesday at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha. She was 95 year, 7 months old.

Mrs. Smith was born April 24, 1869 at DeSoto when Nebraska was in its infancy and only 6 weeks after the first lots were staked out for the City of Blair. At that time DeSoto was still quite a town although the population was shifting to Blair because of the railroad being established.

Mrs. Smith was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seltz who operated a grocery store and the post office at DeSoto , which at that time was located alongside Highway 73 at the location of the Dr. G. Stanley farm. The population of DeSoto was still in excess of 400 persons and Indians roamed the area and wild game of all kinds abounded. When Mrs. Smith was still a child the Indians traded hides at her father’s store for groceries. Fox and Bobcats were commonplace in the woods.

After a time the family moved to a farm near the present DeSoto store and for the remainder of her life Mrs. Smith’s interests were in agriculture.

As a young woman she was married to Lee Smith who was also interested in farming and the family became permanent residents of the DeSoto vicinity. Through her lifetime, Mrs. Smith watched the growth of Washington County and took an active interest in community affairs. As she grew older, she had a special interest in the Washington County Pioneers and Old Settlers Society and finally became the oldest person to attend the annual picnic of the organization.

For the past year she has been living at the Orchard Hill Rest Home in Omaha. Prior to her death early Monday, she had been ill and hospitalize for about a week.

She is survived by three children. They are Omaha attorney Seymour Smith, Roland Smith of Blair, and Miss Arline Smith of Omaha. There are three grandchildren, these being Judge Robert L. Smith of Omaha, Roland Smith, Jr. of Blair, and Mrs. William (Vivian) Mayer of Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are 11 great-grandchildren.

Ed Natter, a resident of Crowell Memorial Home of Blair, is a cousin of Mrs. Smith. His connection with the family was exceedingly close as he was raised by Mrs. Smith’s parents following the death of his own parents.

There will be funeral services for Mrs. Smith at the Brailey and Dorrance Funeral Home in Omaha Friday, November 27th. The body will be brought to Blair for burial and there will be graveside services at the Blair cemetery conducted by Rev. Dale Westalt of the First Methodist Church.

Pall bearers will be John Sully, Ernest Kruse, Charles Seltz, Rolland Smith Jr., Neil Stanley, and Judge Robert Smith.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library, Blair, Nebraska library.~~~

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