Bernice (Bea) M. Smith died March 3, 2008 in Carson City. She was 96 years old.
Bea was born February 7, 1912 in Mountain Springs, Lonoke County, Ark. to Meridith and Caldonia Shurley. She was the 11th of 12 children.
Bea married Lonzo Robinson in 1930 and had 3 children. In 1937 she married Cecil Conner in Phoenix, Arizona. They lived in Las Angeles area where she was a hostess at a local restaurant. Cecil died in 1955. Bea married Thomas Smith in 1969 and they moved to Carson City in 1982. They were members of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Bea was a volunteer at FISH and the Senior Center for many years. She was an avid bingo player; carpooling with a group to the Nugget several times each week to play. She traveled frequently to southern California and Arkansas to visit with her family. Bea loved to crochet and her family members have beautiful afghans that she made over the years as remembrance. One of her favorite outings was prime rib dinner at the Nugget coffee shop.
Bea was pre-deceased by her husband Tom in 2000 and her daughter Juanita Shockley in 1995. She is survived by her sons and daughter-in-laws Roy and Marcia Robinson of Carson City and Jim and Dorothy Robinson of Fountain Valley, California, 8 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great grandchildren.
Services and burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Whittier, Calif.