Nancy J. Smith

Nancy June Smith, 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 12, 2026.

Nancy was born on April 14, 1936, in Henderson, Tennessee, the youngest of ten children born to Claude and Cora Ledbetter. She grew up in Henderson where she attended elementary and high school and spent her summers working on a family cotton farm nearby.

After graduating from Memphis State University in 1958, Nancy moved to Marion, Arkansas, to begin a career as a high school business teacher. On August 6, 1960, she married Lawrence “Larry” O. Smith in Henderson. Their life together took them to Starkville, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; Mountain Home, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; Hays, Kansas; London, England; and Arlington Heights, Illinois, before they settled in McPherson, Kansas, in August 1976.

After helping their sons settle into school, sports, and Scouting, Nancy worked in the USD 418 district office before beginning a nearly 30-year career as a special education paraprofessional and substitute teacher.

During her 50 years in McPherson, Nancy enjoyed gardening, cheering on the Bullpups and Kansas City Royals, camping and fishing with her children, spending summers in Tennessee, and spending time with her McPherson Church of Christ family. She and Larry made a wonderful gardening team: he enjoyed preparing the soil, planting, and harvesting, while she enjoyed cleaning, pickling, and cooking what they grew. She also treasured the friendships and gatherings shared with Larry’s coworkers at Sterling Drug, Abbott Laboratories, and Hospira.

The arrival of their five grandchildren—Carson, Sawyer, Garrett, Harper, and Ashton—brought a new center to Nancy and Larry’s lives. They traveled to San Diego, Oklahoma City, Washington, D.C., Pensacola, and Olathe to watch performances, cheer from the sidelines, share in their grandchildren’s everyday lives, and getting to know their friends and neighbors along the way.

Nancy is survived by her two sons, Blair Smith and his wife, Casey, of Olathe, Kansas, and Clint Smith and his wife, Melissa, of McPherson, Kansas; and five grandchildren, Carson Smith of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sawyer Smith of Overland Park, Kansas, Garrett Smith of Olathe, Kansas, Harper Smith of Wichita, Kansas, and Ashton Smith of Olathe, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers; four sisters; her husband, Larry; and her precious infant son, Loren.

The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 23, at Stockham Family Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 24, at McPherson Church of Christ. Burial will follow at McPherson Cemetery.  To view a live stream broadcast of the service, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Memorial contributions may be made to McPherson Church of Christ for the Manna Project or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.