Obituary: Smith, Vera (Dymack)
She had bravely fought COPD for several years with amazing grace and courage.
Mom had a deep, quiet faith and now she is rejoicing.
Fortunately, she was able to continue living in her rural home of 40 years until a week before her passing.
She felt blessed for the ongoing care by her daughter Cheryl and her husband, Steve, and the assistance of other family.
Mom is survived by her four children: Marilyn (Chris) Smith, Elk, Wash., Connie (Bill) Morlin, Spokane, Wash., Cynthia Clauson, Doha, Qatar, Cheryl (Steve) Blackman, Elk, Wash. Four grand-daughters: Shana (Marshall) Joy, Katrina Clauson, Sarah Torczon, and Samantha (Preston) Harper and five great-grandchildren.
Also survived by her sister, Terry Ralph, Sandpoint, Idaho, and her “special” sister and brother-in-law, Rog and Jo Parkinson, Walnut Creek, Calif., brothers-in-law who have been great friends, many beloved nieces and nephews and long-time friends.
Our Mom was preceded in death by our Dad, Leedice, her parents, her brother Wallace Dymack, sister Ann Barcklay, brother Carl Dymack, brother Richard Hoffman, and nephews John and Richard Dymack.
Mom was born in Spokane during the Great Depression to Cornell and Nora Dymack.
She joined an older brother and sister.
A younger brother would follow, as well as a half-sister and another boy and girl would grow up in the family and lovingly call her “sister” for the rest of her life.
She loved telling stories about her proud, first generation Polish-American father who “peddled” fruit and vegetables during those hard times and that “whatever he didn’t sell, they would have to eat.”
Her beloved father was killed tragically while working on a WPA government project when she was only 12 and she never stopped missing him.
Later, Mom moved around as her mother found jobs to support her fatherless family.
To help out, Mom began working.
Some of the places she worked: the Sunshine Biscuit Co, the George House, the Top Hat and Rutherford’s XXX, one of Spokane’s first drive-ins.
At Rutherford’s, she would remind us, she got to use her roller skating skills to carhop.
Employers discovered Mom was not only smart, lovely and charming, but also quick with witty, memorable “comebacks.”
And she had a secret weapon: a near “photographic memory” for a combination of exceptional customer-service skills.
Meanwhile, WWII was ending.
A particularly handsome returning soldier met Mom in Spokane , sparking 54 years of love and devotion until Dad’s death in 2002.
During their marriage, Mom worked outside the home as a grocery clerk.
Her longest and last employer was Sav-More Foods.
Mom and Dad also operated Gray’s Landing Resort on Eloika Lake from 1962 to l974.
Long hours and lots of hard work, but Mom called it a treasured time, a great place to raise their family.
She loved serving coffee to resort customers, laughing and listening to their fish tales.
Even while working outside the home, commuting to Spokane, Mom did do it all for our family — PTA meetings, costumes for school plays, treats for school parties, sewing our clothes, helping with homework, cooking those real dinners every night.
(She was a wonderful cook!)
This is the short list.
In her “spare” time she indulged in a special pleasure: growing beautiful flowers.
She was a real dynamo at barely 5-foot tall and 115 lbs.
In 1974, Mom and Dad relocated but stayed in the Elk area where they built a sanctuary for birds and welcomed wildlife.
Dad cultivated garden plots and built carts and a wishing well to accommodate Mom’s ever-expanding variety of flowers.
After this move she also had time for crocheting and quilting.
She continued working in her garden as long as she could.
Through the years, Mom enjoyed the companionship of two Shelties, Fox and Joy, and her beloved cats, Tuffer Lou, Thomas and Missy.
In recent years, her greatest pleasure was watching the varieties of birds visiting feeders hung in her gigantic backyard willow.
She eagerly anticipated the new fawns and got daily enjoyment watching deer, a surprise coyote, bear or moose visit — and too many wild turkeys.
More than anything our Mom’s life was defined by the love she had for her family.
She gave 200 percent to us and too little for herself.
This took on new dimensions when her beloved grand-daughters were born.
“Gram” cherished her “girls”.
A favorite memory was of their walks to the “swinging tree.”
Mom used equal doses of TLC and her innate nursing skills to care for us.
Mom would have been a great nurse.
She also reached outside, especially to children, helping as much as she could.
That’s why a lot of children who are now adults feel blessed to still call her “Mom.”
Never at a loss for words, Mom didn’t embrace technology, and continued favoring handwritten cards, letters and phone calls.
In return, she loved it when the mailman delivered letters simply addressed to: “Gram.”
Her sweet simple courteous expressions of love will be forever missed.
Mom, thanks for a lifetime of love letters.
Our thanks to Dr. Todd Green and Dr. Deborah Fertakis for their care of Mom during her long illness and to Hospice of Spokane for their care and support.
If you wish to make a memorial contribution, please do so to Hospice of Spokane or Spokane Humane Society.
There will be a private inurnment at the Elk Cemetery #1.
A celebration of our Mom’s life will be held later in the year when flowers are again blooming, birds again singing.