Mary Smith

Mary Smith Mary Jo Craighton Smith, 84, of Dexter, OR, passed away on Wednesday, September 30th, 2015. Mary Jo was born in Visalia, CA on November, 19th, 1930. She was married to David Smith on July 4th, 1948 they were married 48 years. Mary worked as a cotton picker for a few years when she was young. She and her family moved around quite a bit when she was young, looking for work. When Mary was a teenager they moved to Elverta, where she attended Lincoln school. David and Mary met for the first time when they accompanied David’s brother, Bill, and Mary Jo’s sister, Rosie, on a date to the movies. After that David would come to the school to visit Mary, and three months later they got married in Minden, Nevada. Their first house was a chicken coop on Mary’s aunt’s property. Dave and Mary had seven children: Deborah, Daniel, David, James, Tina, and Nina were all born in Sacramento, CA and Richard, who was born in Elk Grove, CA. After Richard was born they moved to Oregon and finally settled down in Dexter, OR on Highway 58 where David lived out the rest of his life and Mary lived until the last few months of her own. She enjoyed many hobbies including painting, fishing, quilting, and beachcombing. She was baptized November 11th, 1956 by Bro. Levi Jackson in Sacramento, CA. Mary was used in the gifts of prophesy, midwifery, Mary Jo is survived by her sisters Rosie and Dorothy, her brothers Elva and Bruce, daughters Debbie, Nina and Tina, and her son, Richard, as well as 23 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Mary Jo is preceded in death by her husband, David, three of her sons, James, Dan and Dave, and two great-grandchildren. Arrangements entrusted to Springfield Memorial Funeral Home. Please access the obituary, and you are invited to sign the guestbook at www.musgroves.com.