Eleanor Marie Hoehman Childs Smith
Our mother, Eleanor Childs Smith, departed this earth on June 25, 2009. She was 90 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 18 years, Norman Leslie Smith, six years ago in June of 2003. Eleanor was born Eleanor Marie Hoehman, to Arthur Paul Hoehman and Wilhelmina Augusta Brunkau in 1918 and grew up on a farm with peach orchards in Caddo County, Okla., just outside the small town of Gracemont. Upon graduation from Southwestern University in Weatherford, Okla., Eleanor earned her bachelor degree in Education. After WWII, she married her sweetheart from Gracemont, James H. Childs, in 1945, and in 1949, the couple established their home in Ponca City where they raised their three children, Paul, Jamie, and Leslie. Mr. Childs died in 1968.
Eleanor made her career teaching grade school children in or just outside Ponca City for 35 years, beginning at Garfield Elementary in the early 1950's. In the 1960's, Eleanor pursued the unique opportunity of teaching at a one room schoolhouse, Finley School, just west of Ponca City for several years. Finley was on of the last one room schools in Oklahoma at that time. During the summers she attended classes at OSU to earn her master's degree in teaching, and also achieved specialist certificates in both school counseling and reading. After a few days of teaching at McCord Elementary School in the Osage in the early 1970's, Eleanor experienced another unique opportunity, this time as the storyteller in the Ponca City Educational Television Program, "The Child's Story Hour"; for which she wrote several of her own children's short stories. After that, she became the reading specialist at Liberty Elementary School. It was also during the early 1970's that Eleanor met and married her second husband, William Hooper Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz died in 1980.
In that same year of 1980, Eleanor was honored to become Ponca City's "Teacher of the Year". She retired from teaching in May of 1985, and on that same day married her third husband, Norman Leslie Smith. Eleanor and Norman enjoyed a happy marriage of 18 years, and were both exemplary in their successful blending of their two families, sharing several grandchildren between them. Eleanor and Norman were also very active in the First Methodist Church of Ponca City, where they played in the hand bell choir and taught Sunday school. Eleanor also participated in Untied Methodist Women's Organization for many years, and in several other church activities as well.
Eleanor was much loved and admired, not only by her family, but by hundreds of school children whose lives she touched every day. She was known for setting high standards and she maintained them. She loved children, reading, music, gardening, and pets.
She was preceded in death by Norman her husband, father and mother, and two brothers.
She is survived by her children: Paul Childs and his wife Berit Schumann of New York, Leaslie Childs and her husband Peter Collora of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jamie Childs of Oklahoma City; and by her stepchildren: Joyce Faiz and Jo Ann Bales both of Ponca City, James Smith and his wife Mary Hercyk Smith of Bartlesville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eleanor was a wonderful friend to her many friends, and will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She will be long remembered by many who were once her school children.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Smith, minister of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home and Crematory.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.
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Ponca City News, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Published Sun, Jun 28, 2009, On Page 3 A
Our mother, Eleanor Childs Smith, departed this earth on June 25, 2009. She was 90 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 18 years, Norman Leslie Smith, six years ago in June of 2003. Eleanor was born Eleanor Marie Hoehman, to Arthur Paul Hoehman and Wilhelmina Augusta Brunkau in 1918 and grew up on a farm with peach orchards in Caddo County, Okla., just outside the small town of Gracemont. Upon graduation from Southwestern University in Weatherford, Okla., Eleanor earned her bachelor degree in Education. After WWII, she married her sweetheart from Gracemont, James H. Childs, in 1945, and in 1949, the couple established their home in Ponca City where they raised their three children, Paul, Jamie, and Leslie. Mr. Childs died in 1968.
Eleanor made her career teaching grade school children in or just outside Ponca City for 35 years, beginning at Garfield Elementary in the early 1950's. In the 1960's, Eleanor pursued the unique opportunity of teaching at a one room schoolhouse, Finley School, just west of Ponca City for several years. Finley was on of the last one room schools in Oklahoma at that time. During the summers she attended classes at OSU to earn her master's degree in teaching, and also achieved specialist certificates in both school counseling and reading. After a few days of teaching at McCord Elementary School in the Osage in the early 1970's, Eleanor experienced another unique opportunity, this time as the storyteller in the Ponca City Educational Television Program, "The Child's Story Hour"; for which she wrote several of her own children's short stories. After that, she became the reading specialist at Liberty Elementary School. It was also during the early 1970's that Eleanor met and married her second husband, William Hooper Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz died in 1980.
In that same year of 1980, Eleanor was honored to become Ponca City's "Teacher of the Year". She retired from teaching in May of 1985, and on that same day married her third husband, Norman Leslie Smith. Eleanor and Norman enjoyed a happy marriage of 18 years, and were both exemplary in their successful blending of their two families, sharing several grandchildren between them. Eleanor and Norman were also very active in the First Methodist Church of Ponca City, where they played in the hand bell choir and taught Sunday school. Eleanor also participated in Untied Methodist Women's Organization for many years, and in several other church activities as well.
Eleanor was much loved and admired, not only by her family, but by hundreds of school children whose lives she touched every day. She was known for setting high standards and she maintained them. She loved children, reading, music, gardening, and pets.
She was preceded in death by Norman her husband, father and mother, and two brothers.
She is survived by her children: Paul Childs and his wife Berit Schumann of New York, Leaslie Childs and her husband Peter Collora of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jamie Childs of Oklahoma City; and by her stepchildren: Joyce Faiz and Jo Ann Bales both of Ponca City, James Smith and his wife Mary Hercyk Smith of Bartlesville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eleanor was a wonderful friend to her many friends, and will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She will be long remembered by many who were once her school children.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Smith, minister of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home and Crematory.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.
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Ponca City News, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Published Sun, Jun 28, 2009, On Page 3 A
Eleanor Marie Hoehman Childs Smith
Our mother, Eleanor Childs Smith, departed this earth on June 25, 2009. She was 90 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 18 years, Norman Leslie Smith, six years ago in June of 2003. Eleanor was born Eleanor Marie Hoehman, to Arthur Paul Hoehman and Wilhelmina Augusta Brunkau in 1918 and grew up on a farm with peach orchards in Caddo County, Okla., just outside the small town of Gracemont. Upon graduation from Southwestern University in Weatherford, Okla., Eleanor earned her bachelor degree in Education. After WWII, she married her sweetheart from Gracemont, James H. Childs, in 1945, and in 1949, the couple established their home in Ponca City where they raised their three children, Paul, Jamie, and Leslie. Mr. Childs died in 1968.
Eleanor made her career teaching grade school children in or just outside Ponca City for 35 years, beginning at Garfield Elementary in the early 1950's. In the 1960's, Eleanor pursued the unique opportunity of teaching at a one room schoolhouse, Finley School, just west of Ponca City for several years. Finley was on of the last one room schools in Oklahoma at that time. During the summers she attended classes at OSU to earn her master's degree in teaching, and also achieved specialist certificates in both school counseling and reading. After a few days of teaching at McCord Elementary School in the Osage in the early 1970's, Eleanor experienced another unique opportunity, this time as the storyteller in the Ponca City Educational Television Program, "The Child's Story Hour"; for which she wrote several of her own children's short stories. After that, she became the reading specialist at Liberty Elementary School. It was also during the early 1970's that Eleanor met and married her second husband, William Hooper Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz died in 1980.
In that same year of 1980, Eleanor was honored to become Ponca City's "Teacher of the Year". She retired from teaching in May of 1985, and on that same day married her third husband, Norman Leslie Smith. Eleanor and Norman enjoyed a happy marriage of 18 years, and were both exemplary in their successful blending of their two families, sharing several grandchildren between them. Eleanor and Norman were also very active in the First Methodist Church of Ponca City, where they played in the hand bell choir and taught Sunday school. Eleanor also participated in Untied Methodist Women's Organization for many years, and in several other church activities as well.
Eleanor was much loved and admired, not only by her family, but by hundreds of school children whose lives she touched every day. She was known for setting high standards and she maintained them. She loved children, reading, music, gardening, and pets.
She was preceded in death by Norman her husband, father and mother, and two brothers.
She is survived by her children: Paul Childs and his wife Berit Schumann of New York, Leaslie Childs and her husband Peter Collora of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jamie Childs of Oklahoma City; and by her stepchildren: Joyce Faiz and Jo Ann Bales both of Ponca City, James Smith and his wife Mary Hercyk Smith of Bartlesville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eleanor was a wonderful friend to her many friends, and will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She will be long remembered by many who were once her school children.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Smith, minister of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home and Crematory.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.
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Ponca City News, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Published Sun, Jun 28, 2009, On Page 3 A
Our mother, Eleanor Childs Smith, departed this earth on June 25, 2009. She was 90 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 18 years, Norman Leslie Smith, six years ago in June of 2003. Eleanor was born Eleanor Marie Hoehman, to Arthur Paul Hoehman and Wilhelmina Augusta Brunkau in 1918 and grew up on a farm with peach orchards in Caddo County, Okla., just outside the small town of Gracemont. Upon graduation from Southwestern University in Weatherford, Okla., Eleanor earned her bachelor degree in Education. After WWII, she married her sweetheart from Gracemont, James H. Childs, in 1945, and in 1949, the couple established their home in Ponca City where they raised their three children, Paul, Jamie, and Leslie. Mr. Childs died in 1968.
Eleanor made her career teaching grade school children in or just outside Ponca City for 35 years, beginning at Garfield Elementary in the early 1950's. In the 1960's, Eleanor pursued the unique opportunity of teaching at a one room schoolhouse, Finley School, just west of Ponca City for several years. Finley was on of the last one room schools in Oklahoma at that time. During the summers she attended classes at OSU to earn her master's degree in teaching, and also achieved specialist certificates in both school counseling and reading. After a few days of teaching at McCord Elementary School in the Osage in the early 1970's, Eleanor experienced another unique opportunity, this time as the storyteller in the Ponca City Educational Television Program, "The Child's Story Hour"; for which she wrote several of her own children's short stories. After that, she became the reading specialist at Liberty Elementary School. It was also during the early 1970's that Eleanor met and married her second husband, William Hooper Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz died in 1980.
In that same year of 1980, Eleanor was honored to become Ponca City's "Teacher of the Year". She retired from teaching in May of 1985, and on that same day married her third husband, Norman Leslie Smith. Eleanor and Norman enjoyed a happy marriage of 18 years, and were both exemplary in their successful blending of their two families, sharing several grandchildren between them. Eleanor and Norman were also very active in the First Methodist Church of Ponca City, where they played in the hand bell choir and taught Sunday school. Eleanor also participated in Untied Methodist Women's Organization for many years, and in several other church activities as well.
Eleanor was much loved and admired, not only by her family, but by hundreds of school children whose lives she touched every day. She was known for setting high standards and she maintained them. She loved children, reading, music, gardening, and pets.
She was preceded in death by Norman her husband, father and mother, and two brothers.
She is survived by her children: Paul Childs and his wife Berit Schumann of New York, Leaslie Childs and her husband Peter Collora of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jamie Childs of Oklahoma City; and by her stepchildren: Joyce Faiz and Jo Ann Bales both of Ponca City, James Smith and his wife Mary Hercyk Smith of Bartlesville; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eleanor was a wonderful friend to her many friends, and will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She will be long remembered by many who were once her school children.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Smith, minister of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home and Crematory.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.
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Ponca City News, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Published Sun, Jun 28, 2009, On Page 3 A
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