Loretto M. Smith

On August 29th, 2019 Loretto Montaine Smith, of Toledo, gently passed from her adventurous life at the age of 95.  She was delighted with life and generous with love to her last day. Loretto was born in 1924 in Hamilton, Ohio, the seventh (and last surviving) of eight children of John and Mary (Cleary) Montaine.  She received her teaching degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and taught sixth grade in the late 1940s in Hamilton and Fairfield, Ohio. She had an optimistic spirit, a joyful work ethic and beautiful singing, sewing and hospitality talents.  A great storyteller, she taught important values to her family by sharing tales of her many adventures in life, as well as teaching them to pray, to love and forgive, to get work done in a fun and effective way, and to live with gratitude and humility. In the late 1940s, she and William (Bill) Edward Smith, Jr., DDS, (her brother’s best friend) fell in love, and married on August 14, 1948, in Hamilton, Ohio. Loretto and Bill had six children, thirteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.  She doted on every one of them, and cherished the twenty years she and Bill traveled around the country in their motor home visiting and “making memories.”  All treasure conversations with Loretto, graced by her careful listening, intuition, respect and thoughtfulness. She was predeceased by her husband, Bill, daughter Sarah Jane and son, Christopher Smith, MD, (Marilyn) of Pueblo, CO. She is survived by son, Bill Smith, III, (Cynthia) of Hayward, CA, daughter Mary Jo (Tim) Waldock, of Toledo, daughter Ruth Ann (Dave) Smith of Cincinnati, and son Michael D. (Teddi) Smith of Chicago. Loretto and Bill lived a life of steadfast faith and service.  They moved to Toledo in 1952, and were parishioners at St. Pius X, then Gesu, and finally Blessed Sacrament parish, where she sang in the choir.  She worked as a counselor at The Diet Center and volunteered widely, as a reading tutor, a drama coach, a Meals on Wheels and communion distributor, a leader in the Toledo Dental Auxiliary and the Toledo Opera Guild, among others.  She treasured singing in the Toledo Opera chorus for many years into the early 1980s.  She was also a founding member of the Children’s Theatre Workshop. She endured these last few years of declining health with grace and humor.  She and her family are deeply grateful to “Team Loretto” from Christian Home Care, and the home care team from Hospice of NW Ohio, who enabled Loretto to live in her own home, have fun and beauty every day, and who tended body and spirit with loving care. Family and friends are invited to visit from 5-8 p.m., Tuesday in the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave. (west of Corey Rd.) where a scripture service and sharing of memories will be held at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 2240 Castlewood Drive, Toledo, OH 43613 with additional visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the church narthex. Committal will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Most Blessed Sacrament School building fund, Hospice of NW Ohio or the Toledo Metroparks Foundation.