Georgianna Smith celebrates 100 years

GEORGIANNA SMITH, 100 YEARS YOUNG – was born April 1, 1925, in Amorite, MO, the second daughter born to Holly Franklin and Zola Edith (Collins) Palma.

Georgianna, along with her parents and three sisters Dorothy, Betty

and Hazel grew up on a farm near Virginia. She attended school in that area and graduated from Butler High School in 1943. The family attended the Virginia United Methodist Church and Georgianna was baptized in a rural farm pond early in her life.

On August 23, 1947, Georgianna was united in marriage to Charles E. Smith and together, the couple had one daughter, Sherry Diane. Later, greater employment opportunities took them away from “home” to better provide for the family.

Georgianna’s work background has been very extensive and diverse, including employment in the banking industry in Butler and working in the Carthage School District. She also had an extended work history with General Electric in Springfield, MO, where they lived for greater than 40 years before moving to the El Dorado Springs area.

In the late 1950’s, they ran Camp Galilee for a time, then opened the Spring Dinner House, a restaurant that was located where the now El Dorado Spring Municipal Swimming Pool sits. That establishment burned in July 1966.

She has many fond memories of climbing trees as a kid and ice skating on the farm ponds, but always had a fear of water. She remembers the family churning their own butter, since she liked to help in the kitchen. She took piano lessons long ago, but said, “I was never very good at it — right hand a little, but no on the left hand.” She also loves to read. “My husband was the better cook,” said Georgianna. She has been known to enjoy watching the “soaps” through the years. Her granddaughter Shelley said, “Grandma made the best dressing.”

It was requested at all family gatherings. Georgianna’s beloved daughter Sherry passed away in 2019. Her son-in-law Dennis Gilbert visits often as does her granddaughter, Shelley Johnson and husband Chuck and grandson Chris Gilbert, along with four great grandchildren Shelby, Blake, Chasdity and Breann and 11 great-great grandchildren — Braedon, Arysa, Boston, Kase, Tucker, Remington, Riverlynn, Haislee, Beckett, Charlei and Gannon.

Georgianna receives a certificate from the City delivered by Mayor Nathan Murrell.