Carmelina M. Smith

Carmelina Adelina Frances Marie “Carm” Smith was born in Okmulgee, OK on September 17, 1923, to Salvatore Patti and Serafina Franco who immigrated to the United States from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Sicily. She passed peacefully on August 29, 2023, surrounded by family just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday.

As a child her family moved to Kansas City where she grew up in the Northeast, graduating from Northeast High School in 1940. Carm attended KC Business College for a year, and worked as a bookkeeper for her uncle, Sebastian Patti at his construction company.

She married Joe Glorioso in January 1943, and they had one son, Steven Glorioso, who preceded her in death.

In 1956, she married the love of her life, Everett Hughes Smith with whom she had a son, Les Smith, and a daughter, Patricia Smith Bradley. Carm and Everett lived in Gladstone for many years where Everett was a Councilmember and Mayor and they enjoyed hosting Gladstone Chamber events and entertaining family and friends in their Hamilton Heights home. Carm and Everett opened Gladstone Bowl in 1958 and much of their lives centered around this home away from home.

They moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1975, making many lifelong friends prior to returning home to Gladstone in 1997. After Everett’s passing in 1998, Carm continued to be active and engaged in the Gladstone community, traveling with the Gladstone Seniors and supporting the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund. She was always proud to be a Gladstone resident and was especially proud when Les followed in his father’s footsteps to serve on the Gladstone City Council and as Mayor.

An avid bowler until age 93, Carm was fun-loving, energetic and a delight to everyone who had the opportunity to know her. She had a twinkle in her eye and was likely to be up to some form of mischief, something her grandchildren and great-grandchildren always looked forward to.

Carm loved traveling, making frequent trips to Santa Barbara to visit the Bradley family, traveling to Italy to trace her roots, taking a special trip to Europe with family in 2006 and visiting her sister Sally after she moved to Florida.

Always impeccably dressed, manicured, and with a sweater for every occasion, she loved a good party and any excuse to get dressed up and pick out some new jewelry. You would be hard pressed to find a more elegant nonagenarian anywhere!

Her kitchen was always full of food, love, and laughter and she was known to spoil family and friends with her delicious Italian cookies, strawberry preserves, zucchini bread or her marinara sauce. You always knew you had a seat at her table, and you would never go away hungry. Mangia!

Family was her life and she loved bragging on all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to anyone who would listen. She lived a full and beautiful life, touching many lives and developing long and lasting friendships. We are forever grateful to the Ascend Hospice staff who loved and cared for her as if she was their own.

Carm was preceded in death by her husband Everett Smith, son Steven Glorioso, brothers Anthony “Hank” Patti and Salvatore “Tudie” Patti, and sister Serefina “Sally” Randazzo.

She is survived by her son Les (Laura) Smith, daughter Patricia (Kip) Bradley, and daughter-in-law Regina Glorioso. She leaves grandchildren Francesca Cole, Jason Smith, Jenn (TC) Hankins, Nicoletta, Gabriella, and Leyton Bradley, Sam (Sarah) Gay, Leah Chandler (Nate McCarthy) and Jack Chandler, eight great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at White Chapel Funeral Home in Gladstone. Family and friends are invited to share in the rosary at 9:00 a.m. Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. and services at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Northland Christmas Store, P.O. Box 28403, Gladstone, MO 64188.