July 2 1921 - February 12 2007
Stella Viola Smith was born on July 2 1921 in Christine ND to Richard and Josephine Hollands, the 10th of 13 children.
After graduating from Wahpeton ND High School in 1939, she received her RN from St. Luke's Nursing School in Fargo ND in 1944, beginning a career that spanned 50 years. She began nursing at the Fargo ND Veteran's Hospital, where she was Surgery Supervisor, and where she met and married Robert Dean Smith, (dod Jan 1 1970).
Stella's nursing career resumed at Bishop Randall in Lander WY, then at Natrona County Memorial in Casper WY, where she was Head Nurse in one of the first ICU/CCU units in the US, and finally to Denver, CO Veteran's Hospital where she worked until she retired in 1995.
After retirement, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area CA with daughter Cheryl and Grandson Erik
Throughout most of her life Stella was an avid bowler, enjoyed ballroom dancing, was a sure bet in Scrabble, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune. She always worked crossword puzzles in ink.
She also read voraciously: anything proNativeAmerican, Louis Lamour, James Patterson - AND read the Encyclopedia Britannica cover-to-cover (Bill Gates only made it through "J").
Stella is survived by daughter Cheryl Gibb (Greenbrae CA), grandson Erik Gibb (San Francisco CA), sister Mildred Hollands (Mound MN), sister Ruth Ashdown (Fairfield OH), adopted daughter Coni Shannon (Lander Wyoming), adopted son Wade Jarvis (Martinez CA), many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and a host of beloved friends and professional colleagues.
Stella's wishes were to be cremated with no formal services. She would love for any donations to be sent to her favorite charity:
St. Joseph's Indian School
Attn: Donor Services
Chamberlain, SD 57326
(605) 234-3300
