Marilyn Joy Smith

MARILYN JOY SMITH was born to Henry W. and Henrietta (Pater) Spronk on June 5, 1946, in Pipestone, Minnesota. She was baptized and made profession of faith at the First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton. She was raised in rural Holland, Minnesota, attended grade school at Holland Christian School, and graduated from Southwest Christian High School in 1964. She then attended Nettleton Business College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota graduating with a degree in accounting. On September 23, 1966, she was united in marriage to Alger Smith at the First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived in Sioux Falls, where she was employed at Union Bank. In 1969, they moved to Pipestone.

She raised four children before returning to work in 1986. Over the years she worked a variety of bookkeeping and accounting jobs, including First National Bank, Total Card and CHS. Her passion was music; She was a church organist for over 60 years; her last service was Easter Sunday, 2021. She also played for many weddings and funerals. Marilyn died on August 1, 2021 at the age of 75 days 1 month and 27 days at the Pipestone County Hospice House.

Marilyn was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Pipestone, where she served as an organist and enjoyed singing in the choir. She enjoyed sewing and needle work, making clothes for her kids and blankets for her grandkids. She enjoyed traveling, visiting South Africa, taking several trips to Florida and a bus trip in the West with her sister and sister-in-law. She enjoyed a trip to the Western U.S. with Alger shortly before his death. She was a great baker and could always be counted on for a good pan of bars. She canned tomatoes every year, and taught her kids to can as well.

She is lovingly remembered by three children, Tamara (Chris) Tureson of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Torre Smith of St. Paul, Minnesota and Alissa (John Arneson) Smith of Overland Park, Kansas; three grandchildren, Brianna (Donovan) Johnson, Hailey Snyder and Braeden Rieck; one great-grandson, Zander Johnson; three siblings, Glenda (Norm) Van Dyke of Edgerton, MN, Bill (Carol) Spronk of Sioux Falls, and Dave Spronk of Denver, Colorado; and in-laws, Nancy Johnson of Lake Benton, Minnesota and Gary (Evie) Smith of Paynesville, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alger Smith; one son, Jason Smith; her parents, Hank and Henrietta Spronk; her mother and father-in-law, Al and Elsie Smith; and one brother-in-law, Steve Johnson.