A funeral service for LaVera Smith will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in the Plainview Mennonite Church.

LaVera Smith was born to Alfred and Amanda (Nightingale) Schmidt on July 27, 1932, near Verden, Oklahoma. She went to be with the Lord on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at the age of 94.

She received her education at Sandlin School near Verden. LaVera gave her heart to the Lord when she was 12 and was baptized on December 17, 1944, into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite by Minister David Koehn. She remained faithful to these vows to the end.

LaVera found her life’s companion in Donald Smith. They were married September 30, 1951, enjoying over 72 precious years together and to this union were born two sons. In 1965, they added a daughter to their home through adoption.

In 1968, they bought a small farm west of Chickasha. She was Don’s helpmeet and they enjoyed farming and ranching and also custom harvesting following the wheat harvest up to Nebraska and going to Mississippi for soybean harvest. Lasting friendships were formed and many memories were made during these times. She enjoyed housekeeping, forming close bonds, and making many friends in the Chickasha community.

In January of 2017, they moved to Corn Heritage Village in Corn, Oklahoma, and remained there with a loving community and even after Don’s passing, she continued living there and making friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law, three brothers, two sisters, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law.

Loved ones left to cherish her memory are her children: Gerald and Joyce of Verden; Stan and Darla, of Prairie, Mississippi; LaDonna of Corn; six grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren; brother Wayne Schmidt and wife Winona of Buhl, Idaho; sisters-in-law Yvonne Schmidt, Dorothy Schmidt, and Fern Koehn; brother-in-law Willis Smith; and other extended family and friends.

A viewing for LaVera will be held at Ferguson Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 16th from 11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. then at Plainview Mennonite Church that evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Interment will be in the Plainview Mennonite Cemetery under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home.