Lois Naomi Smith

January 18, 1929 - October 15, 2018

Lois Naomi Clark was born in Haviland, Kansas, the youngest of the six children of Scott Thomas Clark and Elsie Grace Coppock Clark. She moved with her parents, who were Friends (Quaker) ministers, from Haviland, Kansas to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Cincinnati, Ohio, to Portsmouth, Virginia and then to Montebello, California. Lois moved to Greenleaf, Idaho as a teenager and began attending Greenleaf Friends Academy. It was here she had the first date of her life with the tall, athletic farm boy, Clair Smith, who would become the love of her life. After graduating from the academy in 1946, Lois and Clair went to George Fox College, were married in 1949 earning their bachelor’s degrees the following year. Clair and Lois began their careers farming and teaching and eventually settled on their 130-acre farm south of Greenleaf, Idaho where they raised their four children: Terrel Stanton, Lois LuAnn, Connie Ruth, and Kevin Roy. Their first child, Steven, had died in childbirth. Lois taught first grade many years: first at Roswell, then Greenleaf public elementary, then Holmes Elementary in Wilder, Idaho, and finally at Greenleaf Friends Academy her last four years. Lois and Clair were an integral part of Greenleaf Friends Church and Greenleaf Friends Academy. She happily served on committees, gave children's sermons, taught children’s Sunday School, led singing, started a college and career group, and sang in the choir with Clair. It was important to Clair and Lois that their four children attend Greenleaf Friends Academy and they happily sacrificed to make that happen. Two years after Clair’s passing in 2004, Lois moved to Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg, Oregon, where she enjoyed reuniting with college friends and others from the Quaker Community. Lois lived her life with gratitude and joy; living her faith every day. She touched many lives in her 89 years, and her sweet spirit was contagious. Lois was preceded in death by her parents Scott and Grace Clark, her siblings Wayne Clark, Mary Clark Seidel, Ruth Clark Corbin, Roy Clark, and Lucy Clark Anderson, her son Clair Steven, and her husband Clair Stanton Smith. She is survived by her children Terrel Smith, LuAnn Smith Crea, Connie Smith Benke, and Kevin Smith, and by grandchildren Timon Smith, Jennica Smith, Alyssa Crea, Amber Crea, Kylee Benke, Bryden Benke, Micah Smith, Joel Smith, Leah Smith and three great grandchildren. Lois will be dearly missed by countless relatives and friends. The celebration of life for Lois will be at Newberg Friends Church on Nov. 10th, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to Greenleaf Friends Academy, PO Box 368, Greenleaf, ID 83626.