Freda E. Smith

Growing up during the depression, 1 of 8 children of Mary (nee Kennedy) and Gus Ninos in the “poorest family in a poor town” in southern Illinois. Her mother did her best feeding her children. Freda told of eating "fried onion sandwiches." She worked hard so that she could attend college. She loved studying physical education and often told the story of getting a black eye playing field hockey the day she was going to the homecoming dance and the makeup needed to cover it up.

She had to leave Southern Illinois University to move to Chicago to support her mother by working in factories during the war. Through mutual friends, she met her husband of 55 years, Howard. They created their American Dream of buying a home and raising two children. She was very proud of them (though she didn't let them know, "don't want to spoil them.")

She was a great cook: lasagna, marinated chicken wings, lilies with whipped cream and coconut, Greek butter cookies, and great pies - lemon merengue, apple, and a chocolate pie that was anticipated through dinner, and then immediately divided into quarters for immediate consumption, no leftovers here and equality for all. As a homemaker, she always created a welcoming and kind environment for her children's friends. She loved gardening, flowers and vegetables. The house always had curb appeal with bountiful flowers. After her children were in high school she began working for the Chicago Public Schools as a school clerk. She took pride in her work and felt that she ran the school.

Travel was a joy for her. Every summer for a month, she and Howard set out in their 'home on wheels', a travel trailer, to see all the natural beauties of the United States and Canada and looking for family roots. Other trips include many cruises with family and friends and meeting her relatives in her father's homeland, the island of Milos in Greece. Freda would recount their many travels the rest of her life.

After they retired in 1985, they continued their travels, eventually moving to Arizona and visiting their children during the hot Arizona summers. They made many friends in their RV Park community, engaging in many of the park’s activities, including the daily happy hour. Freda took pride in her volunteering for the Ugly Quilters, making sleeping bags for the homeless. She generously contributed to charities helping the less fortunate, the environment, the Democratic Party, and Native Americans after she discovered her Native American roots in her research of her family's genealogy, while visiting county courthouses during their travels.