White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence – Ruby Margaret Smith, 96 years old, of Independence, Iowa, formerly of Garrison, Iowa, died on Friday, January 27, 2012, at East Towne Care Center in Independence.  She was born on February 21, 1915, on a farm near Sumner, in Bremer County, Iowa.

She was the youngest of four children of Charles Alfred and Augusta Sophie (Friedrich) Trager.  Ruby never really knew her father since she was only 2 years old when he died.  At the age of 16, Ruby lost her mother.  She lived with her brother, George, while she finished school in Randalia, Iowa.  Ruby was 13 years younger than her sister, Loretta, but they were best of friends.  After high school, she completed her nurses training at St. Luke’s Hospital and Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

She enjoyed dancing and met her future husband at the Oelwein Coliseum Ballroom.  On December 5, 1936, she and Harold Thomas Smith were married in Strawberry Point, Iowa.  He preceded her in death in 1994.  Ruby was employed at the Oelwein City Laundry and later, did nursing in the homes of elderly people.  Ruby and Harold purchased their first farm near Arlington, Iowa, and on May 22, 1941, they became the parents of Haroldine.  Next they farmed near Oelwein, Iowa and Ruby worked in Oelwein at J.C. Penny designing window displays and also she worked at Raytheon Corp.  Later they farmed near Waverly and in 1951, they purchased and moved to a farm near Garrison.  Ruby worked in the fields with Harold as well as seeking off the farm employment to help pay the bills.  She worked at the Green Giant Canning Co. in Garrison, detasseled sweet corn, and went back to nursing at Sunny Crest Nursing Center in Dysart, and the Vinton Lutheran Home.

Even with all of these jobs, Ruby still found time to sew, quilt, and crochet.  In the early years, she made most of the clothing for herself and Haroldine.  In later years, she loved making beautiful quilts and fancy doilies, etc.  After retirement, Ruby and Harold enjoyed traveling to Texas for the winter months.  In the spring of 1981, shortly after returning from Texas, they were involved in a serious car accident.  She was a member of the Garrison United Methodist Church in Garrison, and the UMW.  At the age of 91, she moved from the farm at Garrison to Prairie Hills Assisted Living in Independence and enjoyed the new facility for 2 years.  She then moved to East Towne Care Center for her remaining years.  Her greatest treasure was the time spent with her family.

Mrs. Smith is survived by one daughter, Haroldine “Hal” (Steve) Brentner of rural Rowley, Iowa, 3 grandchildren, Kenneth (Stephenie) Brentner of State College, PA, Alan (Anne Koschmeder) Brentner of Rochester, MN, and Susan (Edward) Lala of Fairfax, IA, and 8 great grandchildren, Rachel Brentner, Rebecca (Morgan) Homan, Laural  Brentner, Abigail Brentner, Jennifer Lala, Garlyn Brentner, Timothy Brentner, and Janelle Lala.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers, Bill Trager and George Trager, and 1 sister, Loretta Brown.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at the Garrison United Methodist Church in Garrison, Iowa, with Rev. Lanette Sue Van and Rev. Eric Duble officiating.  Burial will be in Garrison Cemetery.  Friends may call for visitation from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31st, at the White Funeral Home in Independence, Iowa.

A Memorial Fund has been established for Camp Courageous, P.O. Box 418, Monticello, Iowa 52310-0418.