Roxanne M. “Missy” Smith, 51, of Benton IL, passed away at 8:02 a.m., on Friday, April 21, 2017 at her residence.
She was born on June 18, 1965 to Ray and Margaret (Ross) Smith in Moline, IL. Roxanne was a graduate of Rend Lake College. She was an LPN and previously worked for Helia Healthcare of Energy for 15 years. Roxanne finally received her dream job in 2010, working for the VA Medical Center in Marion as an LPN.
On August 6, 2015, she retired from the VA Medical Center. Roxanne was a loving daughter and mother. She enjoyed spending time at Rend Lake watching the beautiful sunsets and fishing. Roxanne was a dear friend to many and offered strong social support for them.
Roxanne is survived by her parents, Ray and Margaret (Ross) Smith of Benton, IL; a daughter, Ashley Smith and companion Mark Crider of Benton, IL; two sisters, Vickey Simpson and husband Greg of Ash Grove, MO., Kimberly Cunningham and Jeff of Willard, MO; five brothers, Ray E. Smith of Springfield, MO., Kevin J. Smith of Abingdon, IL., Steve Smith and wife Kathy of Eldridge, IA., Rodney D. Smith of WI., and Bill Vandewoestyne of Rochester, MN; her four loving pets, Sadie, Missy, Rosie and Hector; her two loving grand pets, Zoey and Bentley; a lifelong friend, Donna King; two dear friends, Roxanne Perkins and Cheryll Mack; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Marie and Aurther Ross, Beatrice (Corn) Atchison, Hollis Smith, and Juanita McSparin; a sister, Peggy Sue (Smith) Aplin; a special uncle, Les Ross; and a niece, Charity Sunday Graves.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Marie and Aurther Ross, Beatrice (Corn) Atchison, Hollis Smith, and Juanita McSparin; a sister, Peggy Sue (Smith) Aplin; a special uncle, Les Ross; and a niece, Charity Sunday Graves.
The Smith family would like to extend a special thank you to Donna from Celtic Hospice for her kind hearted compassion and care.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2017, 12:30 p.m., at the Brady Cemetery, Akin, IL. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family, and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Online condolences can be given at www.patefh.com.
MAYFIELD, KY – Tyson Houghland threw five innings to pick up the win. and Gehrig Wynn homered as the Benton Rangers picked up a 15-3 win over Union Grove WI at the Dinger Wooden Bat Classic, hosted by Graves County High Schoool.
BENTON, IL (Ashley Smith – WSIL TV Please click to read the entire story and accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) Two women have spent a lifetime working at the same place, and despite being over retirement age, neither plan to quit anytime soon. Karen Smith works in the laundry room at Stone Bridge Senior Living Center in Benton. “There’s never a dull moment in here, that’s for sure,” said Karen Smith. She’s worked in that department for more than two decades. She spent a decade before that working in housekeeping. That’s 31 years Karen has worked in the same building. But she’s not the only longtime employee here.
ULLIN, IL (Krystle Callais, WPSD TV Click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt.) Illinois State Police are warning drivers to be on alert for a relay race being held on some southern Illinois roads this weekend. The River to River Relay is being held this Saturday, April 22. The relay race will have teams run from McGee Hill in LaRue Pine Hills on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River through the Shawnee National Forest to the finish at the Ohio River in Golconda. This race goes through Union, Johnson, and Pope County.
BENTON, IL (Brandon Richard, WSIL TV – Please click on the link to read the full story and watch the accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones says the county jail faces a big problem: overcrowding. “We’re either at capacity, near capacity or overcapacity almost all the time now,” said Jones. He said one factor is most inmates can’t afford to bond out, and must sit in jail until their court cases are over. But he says the biggest challenge, by far, inmates who suffer from mental illness.
WASHINGTON, DC (Fred Barbash – The Washington Post. Please Click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) Americans trying to stay healthy have abandoned sugary drinks for diet drinks in droves over the past few decades on the theory that the latter is better than the former. Now, more evidence has emerged to refute that rationale. Indeed, a new study shows an association between diet soda and both stroke and dementia, with people drinking diet soda daily being almost three times as likely to develop stroke and dementia as those who consumed it weekly or less. “This included a higher risk of ischemic stroke, where blood vessels in the brain become obstructed and Alzheimer’s disease dementia, the most common form of dementia,” said Matthew Pase, a Boston University School of Medicine neurologist and the lead author of the study published in the journal Stroke.
