Mary B. Smith November 15, 1916 - June 4, 2014

Longtime Sisters resident Mary B. Smith died Wednesday, June 4 at the age of 97.

Born in Portland on November 15, 1916 to John H. and Martha Chapin Beckwith, she attended schools in Portland and Annie Wright Seminary in Tacoma, Washington. After graduating from Mills College, she returned to Tacoma to teach at Annie Wright Seminary. It is there that she met and married Wilton Gordon Smith, a most wonderful man, and they had three children: Marna, Stuart and Gordon Smith.

After living in numerous cities around the country, they settled in Lake Oswego in 1957 where they lived until moving to Bend in 1975 and soon thereafter to Sisters.

In 1939 Mary's parents built a cabin on the Metolius River. The endless summers spent in that cabin strongly influenced the wonderful person that Mary became, the love of nature, hiking the many trails, climbing the mountains, watching birds and the love of family. Nothing was more cherished by Mary than family.

Mary was passionate about the Sisters Library. In 2013 she was given an award for being the longest-serving volunteer - 30 years. She volunteered for years at the High Desert Museum. She was an avid horsewoman, riding every trail in Central Oregon many times. She played tennis into her 80s, travelled the world with Wilton, and later with her sister Isabel.

Mary loved her friends - the "out to lunch bunch" - her neighbors and her many bridge groups. The joy of her life was her vegetable garden. Every morning would find her tending those vegetables, picking and bagging and sharing with friends.

Mary is survived by her daughter Marna Griffin and son-in-law Jeff of Reno and Sisters; daughters-in-law Sally Smith of Port Orchard Washington, and Donna Smith of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren Sarah Griffin of Reno, Josh Griffin (Darla) of Henderson, Nevada, Molly Smith of Yakima, Betsy Ambler (Steve) of Port Orchard, Mike Smith (Jill) of Everett, Washington, and Andee Jessee (Calen) of Bend; great-grandchildren Jordan and Jackson Griffin, Graham, Harrison, Monet and Bennet Griffin, Rayne Hayes and Paige McBride, Isabel Smith, Riley, Brynnen and Elli Ambler, Porter Smith and Wilton Jessee.

She is survived by many nieces and nephews, especially Marti Dale and husband Chip of Camp Sherman who checked on her every day.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilton; sons Stuart and Gordon; sisters Isabel Goode and Fran Hogan; brother Jack Beckwith, and longtime companion Walt Berger.

Contributions in Mary's name to her favorite organizations would be very appreciated: Friends of the Sisters Library, P.O. Box 1209, Sisters, OR, 97759; The Deschutes Land Trust, 210 N.W. Irving Ave., Bend, OR, 97701; or The Frank Dale Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 150, Camp Sherman, OR, 97730.

There will be a "Going Away Celebration" for Mary at her home on June 19, from 4 to 6 p.m., 69991 Meadow View Rd. in Sisters

A special thanks to Dr. Joe Bachtold and his wife Gwen, Mary's next-door neighbors. They provided such tender care during the many house-calls they made in the week after her stroke.