Obituary: Dorothy Deane Doyle Smith, 87, Hodgenville

Dorothy Deane Doyle Smith, 87, of Hodgenville, died Friday, March 11, 2016, at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown.

She was a native of Paris and graduated from Paris High School in 1946. She traveled to England, representing her home state in the International Girl Scout Folk Dance Competition. Later she graduated cum laude from the University of Kentucky with a Home Economics degree from the College of Agriculture. She was also a Danforth Scholar. Moving to Hodgenville as a new bride in 1950 took her from city life to farm life. She embraced the change with fervor and zeal. She became active in the LaRue County Homemakers, the UK Extension Service, and Hodgenville Methodist Church where she remained active for many years. In later years, she was active at Memorial United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown.

Throughout her life, she was incredibly civic minded and worked hard to institute new ideas and projects to improve herself and the lives of those around her. Some of the many activities in which she was involved included: American Heart Association where she was a co-chairman for the LaRue County annual “Heart” drive for 25 years. She was President of the Hodgenville Woman’s Club for two non-consecutive terms; during her second term, the club wrote and sold the famous “LaRue County Kitchens” cookbook in celebration of the country’s bicentennial. The committee was told that they probably wouldn’t sell 500. Years later they had sold over 50,000. The proceeds were used for improvements in the Woman’s club as well as for improvements in the community.

She also served two terms as President of the LaRue County Band Boosters; where her focus was to fund new uniforms for the band and their participation in the International Music Competition in Toronto. She was the Conference Treasurer for the Woman’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) or United Methodist Women as it is called today. She also served on the United Methodist Camp Loucon Board of Directors; served as President of Lincoln Days, a faithful volunteer for the Red Cross Blood Drive, and as a lay leader and member of the Emmaus community.

For her service she received multiple awards throughout the years-University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Distinguished Alumnus, Richard Burks LaRue County Chamber of Commerce Lincoln Heritage Award and Outstanding Citizen Award, Kentucky Colonel, LaRue County’s Master Farm Homemaker Award, LaRue County Extension Council Award of Excellence.

After all four of her children were grown, she returned to student life as a 60 year old and attended Sullivan University where she received her Hospitality and Culinary Arts degree achieving a life-long dream of becoming a trained chef. Her specialty was baking and breads. For her outstanding work in this area, she received the “American Culinary Arts Gold Medal”. She was also her class’ nominee for Homecoming Queen. Before this degree and throughout her life, she was known for her cooking and baking-both at home, for others and for community groups. She loved to experience food and was always interested in a new idea, a new way of preparation and of course, a new dish to try.

After graduating from Sullivan University, she served for many years at Twinbrook Hotel and Apartments as Food Service Director and later at Memorial United Methodist Church in a similar capacity.

In addition to cooking and baking, she enjoyed gardening, Kentucky history, and UK Basketball! Throughout her long and active life, she never knew a stranger, always tried to “do what is right”, worked hard (and expected others to do the same!), and was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Sydnor Smith; her parents, Jennie and Virgil Doyle; and one brother, Miller Doyle.

She is survived by three daughters, Laura Alice Smith of Columbus, Ohio, Ellen Doyle Smith Larson (Kevin) of Kingwood, Texas, and Sara Deane Smith (Kim) of Bridgeport, Conn.; one son, Robert Price Smith (Rhonda) of Hodgenville; and six grandchildren, Hattie Marie Larson of Pensacola, Fla., Reid Lewis Larson of Harrisburg, Penn., Jennie Standish Larson of Ames, Iowa, Anna Doyle Larson of Kingwood, Texas, Kaylee Anna Smith and Parker Joseph Smith, both of Hodgenville.

The funeral is 4 p.m. Thursday, March 17, 2016, at the Memorial United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown with Dr. Rachel Marshall, the Rev. Sara D. Smith Esq, and the Rev. Billy J. Cox officiating.

Visitation is 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at the Bennett-Bertram Funeral Home in Hodgenville, and 2:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday 2:30-3:30 pm at Memorial United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown.

Memorial donations may go to Camp Loucon for camper scholarships, 8044 Anneta Road, Leitchfield, KY 42754, www.loucon.org, or to LaRue County Band Boosters for student financial support, P.O. Box 411, Hodgenville, KY 42748.

The Bennett-Bertram Funeral Home in Hodgenville is in charge of the arrangements.

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