Pearl Smith

PEARL SMITH was born to Marinus and Adrianna (Buitendyk) Overgaauw on July 5, 1920 in Zuidland, Netherlands. When she was nine months old, she came to the United States with her parents to Rock Rapids, Iowa. She was raised on a farm near Leota, Minnesota where she attended Leota Christian School. At the age of 11, she moved with her parents to a farm near Woodstock, Minnesota, and she continued her education at the country school in District 49. While waiting for Jake to return from the service during World War II, Pearl worked in Grand Rapids, Michigan for three years. On February 8, 1946, she was united in marriage to Jake Smith in Holland, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they farmed for many years north of Pipestone, Minnesota where Pearl raised their children and helped on the farm. After their retirement in 1979, they continued to live on the farm until 1987 when they moved into Pipestone. Jake preceded her in death on September 8, 1996. In February, 2004, Pearl moved to Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone; and in March, 2013, she became a resident of the Good Samaritan communities of Pipestone. She died there on Thursday, July 4, 2013 at the age of 92 years, 11 months and 29 days.

Pearl was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Pipestone, Minnesota. Before she moved to Pipestone, she was a member of the Holland Christian Reformed Church. She read her Bible and prayed daily, and she enjoyed attending Bible studies. Pearl was also a member of the Pipestone American Legion, the Pipestone VFW and the Hospital Auxiliary. She spent many hours sewing, embroidering and baking. Each summer she raised big vegetable gardens and canned the produce she raised. Her joy was to be with her family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She is lovingly remembered by her seven children, Jim (Sharla) Smith of Milroy, Minnesota, Adrian (Linda) Smith of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Marlene (Mark) Wagner of Glenwood, Minnesota, Ken (Vickie) Smith of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Muriel (Mike) Pater of Marshall, Minnesota, Phil (Jane) Smith of Pella, Iowa, and Marcia (Paul) Cates of Ida Grove, Iowa; 22 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; four brothers, John (Carol) Overgaauw of Mercedes, Texas, Case (Joan) Overgaauw of Lakewood, California, Pete (Marge) Overgaauw of Kent, Washington, and Adrian Overgaauw of St. Paul, Minnesota; and three sisters, Wilhelmina (Gilbert) Kuiper of Pipestone, Minnesota, Cornelia Zeinstra of Holland, Minnesota, and Jacoba Boersma of Pipestone, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two sisters who died in their youth; three brothers, Jake, Willis and Frank Overgaauw; and her daughter-in-law, Renee Smith.