Oneeda Smith

Oneeda Smith, daughter of the late Thomas and Anna (Watkins) Stephens, was born on February 27, 1926, in Garth, Kentucky, and departed this life on October 19, 2017, in Springfield, Missouri. She was 91 years, 7 months, and 22 days of age.

Oneeda grew up and attended school in Bosco. She was a coal miner’s daughter and worked for her grandparents in their grocery store. Later in life, during WWII, she worked as a welder in Ohio as a “Rosie the Riveter.” This is also where she met her future husband, a handsome young Army Airman, Grant G. Smith. The two were united in marriage on July 3, 1944. After Grant was honorably discharged, they moved to Brixey, Missouri, eventually settling in Mountain Grove, Missouri, where they raised their family.

After raising their family, they moved to Springfield, Missouri, and became apartment managers at the Tallyton South Apartments and remained there for 13 years before retiring back to Mountain Grove. Mr. Smith passed away on April 4, 1996. A few years later, Oneeda moved to the McEldo apartments, in Mountain Grove, where she met many new friends.

Oneeda was a gifted gardener who could grow anything. She loved working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She was also a wonderful cook and enjoyed preparing meals and baking items for family and friends. Oneeda served as a charter member of the American Legion Post #30 Women’s Auxiliary. She also served many years working in the nursery at the First Free Will Baptist Church of Mountain Grove.

Besides her parents and her husband, Oneeda was preceded in death by one son, John T. Smith, one daughter, Biddie J. Carter, three brothers, Tom Stephens Jr., Velton Stephens, and Willie Stephens, one son-in-law, Dale Altis, one grandson-in-law, Jeremy Engelmohr, and twin granddaughters, Carla and Charla.

Survivors include one son, Grant “Bud” Smith Jr. and wife, Becky, of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, two daughters, Ann Altis of Mountain Grove and Edna Dean and husband, Larry, of Springfield, Missouri, one brother, Ed Stephens of Jackson, Michigan, one sister, Maggie Allen of Knox, Indiana, twelve grandchildren, Dan Altis and wife, Brenda, Dave Altis and wife, Sherri, Gwen David and husband, Buck, John Carter Jr. and wife, Sabrina, Steph Crowder and husband, Ty, Samantha Smith and Raffy, Carl Dean and wife, Missi, Wendy Gross and husband, Kevin, James Dean, Tom Smith and wife, Glendela, Liz Briggs, and husband, Nathan, and Katie Engelmohr, thirty-nine great-grandchildren, twenty-four great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives, friends, and church family that will miss her dearly.