Helen Marie (Henning) Smith


July 6, 1929 – February 15, 2022

Helen Marie (Henning) Smith, 92, of Mitchell, passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at Stonebridge Health Campus in Bedford.

She was born on July 6, 1929, in Anderson, Indiana to Lothar and Violet (Kelly) Henning. She married Robert Everett Smith of Plymouth, IN at the Noble Street Methodist Church in Anderson, Indiana on June 8, 1950. Helen attended Anderson High School and graduated in 1947. She then attended Ball State Teachers College, graduating in November 1950 with a B.S. degree. She received a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Ball State University in May of 1970. Her teaching career started at Ball State in the early 1970s and she received a Doctorate in Nutrition Education from Purdue University in May of 1977. In 1978 she became the Home Economics Chair at Ball State University, retiring in May of 1990.

Helen was a member of the Honor society at Ball State; the Jayshees, Muncie; the Civitan, Muncie; the Altrusa Club, Muncie; the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, Bedford; the Alpha Sigma Tau, Ball State Teachers College; the Cum Libris, Bedford; and had served as secretary of the American Dietetic Association, Muncie. She was a member of Noble Street Methodist Church, Anderson, High Street United Methodist Church, Muncie, and the First United Methodist Church, Bedford.

Surviving to cherish the memory of Helen is her husband of 71 years, Robert Everett Smith of Mitchell; five children, Karyn Smith Price, John (Maurya) Smith, Diane (Kenneth Criswell) Smith, Dan (John McAninch) Smith, and Andrew (Jane) Smith; five grandchildren, Tiffany Smith (Cameron Anderson) Laughlin, Samantha Smith (Billy) Wellman, Zachary (Heather Jones) Smith, Taylor Smith, and Blair Smith (Rhett) Hiestand; great-grandchildren, Calvin Laughlin, Winnie Laughlin, and Bo Wellman; and her sister, Jeanine Henning Stewart.

Funeral services for Helen Marie (Henning) Smith will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at the First United Methodist Church in Bedford with Pastor Judi Early officiating. Burial will follow at Green Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., also at the First United Methodist Church in Bedford.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to be made in Helen’s memory to the First United Methodist Church, Bedford.

Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes in Bedford has been entrusted with
Helen’s care and arrangements.

Online memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.FergusonLee.com.

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