Eleanor Mae Smith, 89, passed away peacefully at Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin on Thursday evening, April 5, 2018. Born on March 14, 1929, in Waterbury, she was the daughter of the late Marshall W. Clark Sr. and Ethel V. (Farnsworth) Clark.
Eleanor grew up in Duxbury and attended schools there. As a young woman, she began her working career doing manufacturing for several companies in both Richmond and Waterbury. She met the love of her life, Raymond C. Smith Sr., and they were married on January 11, 1947, in Waterbury.
In addition to raising her four sons, Eleanor worked in food service at the Vermont State Hospital for 10 years and then worked several years in janitorial services for Maintenance by Murphy. Eleanor and her daughter-in-law, Debi Smith, then founded their own janitorial/cleaning service that has served the greater Waterbury area for many years and from which she retired. She was proud to have earned her GED later in life.
The foundation to Eleanor’s life was family. She never missed a sporting event that her grandchildren or great-grandchildren participated in nor did she ever miss spending a vacation with her son Gary’s family. She especially enjoyed trips to their camp in Greenville, ME. If there was a Bingo game happening anywhere you would be sure to find Eleanor there and she sure did love her Red Sox. Once Eleanor got her driver’s license later in life, you would find her and her sister Gloria out and about on one of their many adventurous road trips. In quieter moments you would find her with a good book or a word search puzzle.
Eleanor is loved and mourned by her sons, Raymond Smith Jr. and his wife June of Williamstown, William Smith Sr. and his companion Deanna Dunster of Waterbury, John W. Smith and his wife Garlinde of St. Albans, and Gary Smith and his wife Debi of Duxbury; 11 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Gloria Cowens and Mary Boyce, both of Morrisville; three brothers, William “Bobby” Clark and his wife Peggy of MA, Calvin “Mickey” Clark and his wife Diane of Fletcher, and Walter Clark and his wife Patricia of VA; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Eleanor was predeceased by two brothers, Marshall Clark Jr. and Albert Clark, and a sister, Charlene Derosia.
“Thanks for being our rock. Love you, (great) Gram.” Love, Kym, Jo, Sandy, Cody, Kerry, Asa, Taber and Caleb.
Graveside services will be held from Hope Cemetery in Waterbury later this spring at a date and time to be announced. For those who wish, memorial gifts would be appreciated to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641 (www.cvhhh.org). Assisting the family is Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences visit www.perkinsparker.com.
