St.
Clair County Obits
CLARA IRENE CHAPMAN SMITH PERSHING
Clinton
Daily Democrat
28 January 2002
Clara
Irene Smith-Pershing, a longtime Clatskanie, Oregon resident, died
Friday, January 4, 2002, at Community Home Health and Hospice in
Longview, Oregon, at the age of 91. She was born in Collins, on May
21, 1910, the daughter of Thomas Lee and Sarah Elizabeth (Goodpasture)
Chapman, and received her early education there. On January 1, 1929,
she married Roy Franklin Smith in Osceola and they moved to Clatskanie
from Clinton, in 1947. He preceded her in death on October 1, 1956.
For 19 years she worked for Coumbia School District 5J as a cook at
the elementary school. On June 30, 1979, she married Robert "Bob"
Pershing in Clatskanie Baptist Church. Mrs. Pershing was a life member
of Wabanang Chapter OES No. 127, Clatskanie, and past worthy matron.
She was a member of LaFrance Rebekah Lodge No. 155 and past noble
grand of Clatskanie and was a member of the Clatskanie Garden Club and
the Clatskanie Baptist Church, as well as the United Methodist Church
in Clatskanie. She enjoyed being with her family and was remembered by
her friends as an outstanding cook and gardener. Survivors include her
husband, Bob Pershing in Longview; three daughters and a son-in-law,
Connie Reed, Alice and Ron Puzey, and Ruth Pillar, all of Clatskanie;
a son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Carol Smith of Clatskanie; a
brother, Ted Chapman of Clatskanie; nine grandchildren; 19
great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. Services were
held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 9, at the Haakinson-Grouix Mortuary
Chapel with Rev. Ron Jacobson of the Clatskanie Baptist Church
officiating. Services were concluded at the chapel. Private interment
was at Murray Hill Cemetery.
