Luann Kay Smith

Luann was born in Algona, Iowa, on November 29, 1958 and was baptized into the Lutheran faith. The family soon relocated to Battle Creek, Iowa, where they lived for five years. Luann attended Sunday School at the age of three while there. She loved going to Sunday School as she thought it was a party! A year later, the family, including Peggy and Kevin, moved to Woodburn, Oregon, and later to Eugene to be closer to her mother’s parents who had relocated there from Iowa. Luann attended kindergarten at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church as the schools did not have kindergartens at that time.

Luann was a very active child. We never knew what the next day would bring! We took a trip by train to Oregon when she was four and she decided to visit everyone in our car at night so we didn't get much sleep. Her early years were full of many trips to Iowa to visit relatives and friends, trips out to Fern Ridge Lake near Eugene to swim, air travel to Disneyland and many camping trips. Luann loved horses and asked for one at Christmas. We gave her a toy horse and that did not go over too well! Whenever we stayed at a motel we had to be sure they had a pool as she loved to swim.

Luann got straight A's in school so never seemed to have homework to do. She was voted student of the month while in 9th grade. After finishing grade school and junior high, Luann attended North Eugene High School for a short time before her family relocated to Salem, Oregon. Luann attended Chemeketa Community College, receiving her high school diploma there and, later, her Medical Billing certificate.

While in Salem, Luann married, divorcing five years later. She remarried and had a daughter, Olivia. When her parents moved to Beaverton, Oregon, Luann and her family soon followed. Another daughter, Jackie, was born there. Pastor Foss baptized Olivia in Salem and also Jackie in Beaverton. After five years, Luann and her family moved to Burnsville, Minnesota, where her husband worked for the airlines. Luann held many jobs while there. One was working for a pony farm where she took groups of riders on scenic trips around the area. The little girls had their own ponies as well. Other jobs included being a rural mail carrier and working in a bank.

After thirteen years of marriage, Luann relocated to Beaverton, Oregon. She kept in contact with her two daughters quite often. Luann returned to college and updated her Medical Billing certificate. She worked at many jobs while waiting to be accepted into the medical field, living with her parents off and on for many years. During that time it was discovered that she had MS and, as her health begin to decline, she could no longer be employed. Sometime later she fell and broke her hip and her health began to fail. Luann entered St. Vincent Medical Center on February 14, passing away there on March 11, 2022.

Luann leaves to mourn her parents, Loran and Pat Smith; her daughters Olivia and husband and three children and Jackie, all of Fairmont, Minnesota; her sister, Peggy and Joe Nydegger and their son Chris, of Gresham, Oregon; brother Kevin and Pam Smith of Henderson, Nevada; her favorite uncle John and Jeanette of Walla Walla, Washington and many other relatives and friends.

We will miss our "fluttering butterfly" but we know she has finally landed in a peaceful happy place. Rest in peace, our beautiful daughter.

Donations in her memory can be made to ST. Matthew Lutheran Church food pantry.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.peggpaxsonspringerfuneralhome.com for the Smith family.