Ruth M. Smith

Ruth M. Pavlick Smith, of Wilmette, died June 17, 2009 at home. She was born Nov. 24, 1915 in Chicago, the daughter of Frank James and Rose Schmalholz Pavlick. She was the loving wife of Valentine A. Smith, Jr., married on Dec. 27, 1941 in Wilmette. She is also survived by three children:

Donald A. Smith of Longboat Key, FL;

Suzanne S. Sprowl of Southport, CT; and Val A. Smith, III of Wilmette; five grandchildren and one niece, Mary Beth Pavlick Sauser of Lake Forest. Raised in Wilmette, Mrs. Smith was a graduate of New Trier High School in Winnetka and Moser Business School in Chicago. Mrs. Smith's family was her whole life. She was involved in community activities as a leader in the

Kenilworth Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed sailing out of Wilmette Harbor every summer with her family and friends. She was a talented, avid oil and watercolor painter with the Evanston Art Center, a passion of hers that lasted throughout her entire life. She also loved to vacation in Wisconsin and Florida. Ruth had a wonderful sense of humor that made for a very happy, devoted 68 years of marriage. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, www.alz.org or ENH Hospice, 4901 Searle Parkway, Suite 130, P.O. Box 1006, Skokie, IL 60076-8006, www.enh.org/hospice. Arrangements by Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home, 847-251-8200.