Obituary

 

Doris Jeanne Powell Smiley

Obituary

Doris Jeanne Powell Smiley, 66, of Newton, died Monday (May 3, 2010) at her home in Newton.

Jeanne was born on July 14, 1943, to Walter Conger Powell and Mary Marietta Frazee Powell in Tulsa, Okla.

She was raised and attended school in Muskogee, Okla. While she was in school, she went by her first name, Doris.

She graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1961. While in high school, she was involved in the marching band and the drum majorettes.

When she was about 8 years old, she contracted polio and was hospitalized for some time in Tulsa. She survived. She was a fighter.

She was our own "Okie from Muskogee."

Joe and Jeanne met in 1961 on the shores of Fort Gibson Lake near Wagoner, Okla. Their first date was water skiing. From there, it escalated into monthly or even weekly visits. Mostly Joe was driving to Muskogee. Joe said he wore out several Chevys running back and forth to Oklahoma on the rough roads.

Jeanne attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, and the trips from Newton to Oklahoma continued. In 1964, all concerned deemed it was cost-effective for Joe and Jeanne to get married and live in Newton.

On April 26, 1964, Joe and Jeanne were married at the First Methodist Church in Muskogee, where Joe's grandparents had been married many years before.

Joe and Jeanne made their home on West Ninth Street in Newton. Jeanne went to work for Full Vision Co. as a human resource and payroll supervisor. She worked there until son Scott was born in 1971.

After Scott was a couple of years old, she started a 26-year career with Newton USD 373. She was the payroll supervisor and human resource officer.

It has been stated she was the "go-to" gal, as she had the right answers for all the employees' questions. She took this job very seriously. She worked with some very good people and cared about each and every one of them.

She was the kind of mother who could juggle work, soccer games, PTA, basketball games, baseball games, social events and home life and still keep things in order.

In the early years, Jeanne was very involved with First Christian Church of Newton. She served as the church secretary and taught Sunday school. She always was a Christian lady.

After retirement, she and Joe had a new house built in the Autumn Glen addition in Newton.

She continued to give of her time. She volunteered at the Newton Public Library in the Enlite program, which delivers books to care homes and the elderly. She also served on the finance committee of the Harvey County Historical Society and was secretary for the Ladies Reading Circle in Newton.

After retirement, they did quite a bit of traveling, from a big cruise to bus trips to week-long trips and day trips. They were accompanied by good friends Jane and Lanny Jones and Evan and Carolyn Johnson.

She and Joe spent about 25 summers in Tincup, Colo., where they, along with many friends, built a cabin in the early 1980s.

Jeanne loved for friends and family to come to Colorado to stay with them and show them the sights around Tincup.

Jeanne was a wonderful southern cook, taking many lessons from her grandmother. One thing she was well remembered for was her southern fried chicken. What a perfectionist she was.

Jeanne is survived by her husband, Joe, of the home and her son, Dr. Scott Smiley of Emporia.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Anita Powell.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Christian Church in Newton.

There will be no visitation.

A memorial has been established with the American Cancer Society and the Harvey County Historical Society. Contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.

Condolences may be left at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.