Published: October 28, 2009 06:17 pm      

Nellis Smith

Nellis M. (Riley) Smith, 89, of Dix, died at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.



She was born on July 4, 1920, in Kell, the daughter of John Carl Riley and Nora D. Hawkins. She married William Howard “Bill” Smith on Aug. 28, 1943, in Arlington, Va., and he preceded her in death on July 28, 2008.



Mrs. Smith is survived by a son, Stan Smith and wife Jackie of Guthrie, Okla.; a daughter, Carolyn Bryant and husband Tom of Lincoln; grandchildren Eric Bryant and wife Sara of Dwight, Caryn Bane and husband Corey of Delaware, Ohio, Carla Ralstin and husband Randy of Reno, Nev.; Jeff Smith and wife Teresa of Guthrie, Okla., and Matt Smith and wife Laura of Shelby Township, Mich.; great-grandchildren Carman and Caitlyn Bane, Rachelle, Nathan and Larissa Ralstin, Christa, Alissa and Janna Bryant, Thomas Bryant, Alayna Smith, Silas Smith and Samuel Smith; three brothers, Harry Riley of Effingham, Billie Riley and wife June of Dix and Floyd Riley and wife Doris of Salem; and a sister, Mary Ann Beal and husband Wayne of Dix.



In addition to her husband, Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Oscar Riley, John Riley Jr. and James Riley; and sisters, Dorothy McBride, Aline Tate and Betty McCoy.



She was a circuit court clerk until her retirement and also worked for Stroup Construction Company. She graduated from Salem High School in 1939, and then attended Brown Business College. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. For 25 years, she and her husband spent their winters in Naples, Fla.



Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Revs. Corey Bane, Eric Bryant, Tom Bryant and Jack Lucas officiating. Interment will be in Zion Grove Cemetery.



Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Osborn Funeral Home in Dix.



Memorials may be made to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church or Zion Grove Cemetery and will be received at the Osborn Funeral Home, P.O. Box 130, Dix IL 62830.



Online condolences and obituary information are available at www.osbornfuneralhomeinc.com.