Velma Day Hoffman Smith

Velma Vern (Day) Hoffman Smith, 90, of Washington, Kansas, died Thursday, April 28, 2011 in Lincoln, Nebraska at the home of one of her daughters. A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, May 2, at the Washington Christian Church. Pastor John Frey officiated. Sheila Ouellette was organist and accompanied Dr. James Smart as he sang "Amazing Grace" and "Goodnight and Good Morning." The pallbearers were grandsons, Dean Dittmer, Tobin Hoffman, Wesley Jorgenson, Martin McAvoy, Bruce Richwine and Matthew Hoffman. The honorary pallbearers were grandsons, Charles Hoffman, Jason Hoffman, Steven Dittmer, James Dittmer, Shawn Dittmer, Sidney Jorgenson, James Hoffman, George McAvoy, Shane McAvoy and Christopher Hoffman. Burial was in the Enosdale Cemetery. Velma was born October 4, 1920 in Enosdale, Coleman Township, Washington County, Kansas, the daughter of Elmer Charles Day and Dolly Ethel (Coder) Day. She spent her childhood on a farm two miles west of Enosdale and attended school at Coleman Center. She worked at Kellwood's in Fairbury, Nebraska as a seamstress and then at MC Industries in Belleville as a seamstress until her retirement. She was a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and a good neighbor and friend to all who knew her. She enjoyed spending time with her family, friends and crocheting. On August 13, 1938 she married Roy A. Hoffman. They began their married life northwest of Haddam, Kansas, lived in Kansas City, Kan., Arizona, Oregon, Arkansas, and in 1949 moved to a farm southeast of Haddam until early 1961 when they moved to Washington. After Roy passed away in 1983 she remained a widow for eleven years. In the spring 1994 she met Clifford W. Smith and on November 1, 1994 they were united in marriage. They lived in Donna and Benita, Texas in the winter and Washington in the summer. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Roy Aaron Hoffman, in 1983; second husband, Clifford Wesley, in 2006; daughter, Ramona Elaine Hoffman; son-in-law, David McAvoy; stepson, Clifford Eugene Smith; four grandchildren; five brothers, Ralph Day, Lloyd Day, Glenn Day, Max Day, Keith Day; and one sister, Ruth Day. Survivors include a brother, Rollo (Neva) Day, Tyron, OK; sons, Vern (Eva) Hoffman, Hebron, NE, Elmer (JoAnn) Hoffman, Haddam, KS, Delbert (Mary) Hoffman, Haddam, Joe (Janet) Hoffman, Oak Grove, MO; daughters, Mary (Jim) Cordry, Clifton, KS, Bertha (Ron) Jorgenson, Barnes, KS, Linda McAvoy, Hartford, KS, Zelda (Mark) Richwine, Lincoln, NE, Reba (George) Buhr, Dorchester, NE; two stepdaughters, Judi (Michael) Sortore, Independence, MO, and Jerry Carr, Kansas City, MO; thirty-one grandchildren, seventy-nine great-grandchildren, and twenty great-great-grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established to the American Heart Association or American Cancer Society. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Velma Day Hoffman Smith, please visit our flower store.