EMILY ANN (“EM”) SMITH,
age 98, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2022. She was born in Frankfort, Ky., on March 25, 1923, the daughter of Joseph Charles Yagel and Emma Katherine Kern. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Mary of the Woods College, and a Master’s Degree in Dietetics from Ohio State University in Columbus. She completed additional post-graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, from which she obtained a Certification for Treating Eating Disorders and Chemical Abuse. She practiced dietetics for 26 years in a Little Rock medical clinic for obesity and related diseases, while also treating private patients with eating disorders. She subsequently worked for eight years at RESTORE, a rehabilitation facility for Eating Disorders and Chemical Abuse, and later on, at the Diabetes Treatment Center at Doctors’ Hospital. Her professional affiliations included the American Dietetic Association as well as the Arkansas Dietetic Association.
Em married Dr. Wade Smith, an oral surgeon, on November 10, 1950. They met in Memphis while they were both instructors at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, and eventually moved to Little Rock. Em and Wade were charter members of Christ the King Catholic Church, and belonged to the Little Rock Country Club for many years. Em was also a member of the Country Homes Garden Club and the War Memorial Fitness Center, a place that she especially loved.
Em’s primary mission in life was to help others, and she was always looking for ways to give back to her community. She was very active in the Arkansas Dental Association Auxiliary, and was the State President and Dental Health Chairman, as well as the National Dental Health Chairman. One of her most passionate commitments was being a longtime Girl Scout leader, where she encouraged girls to take on leadership roles and learn new skills. Em received the St. Anne Medal, a Catholic Girl Scout leader award. Once her children were grown and she was retired from her job as dietitian, she volunteered for The Nature Conservancy and the Humane Society of Pulaski County.
Em’s lifelong love of animals, even including creepy crawly animals, such as tarantulas, led to her volunteering for many years at the Little Rock Zoo. She hosted numerous birthday parties for children of all ages, and she always wore earrings to reflect the favorite animal of the birthday child. Em was also a popular reader at Zoo Story Time, where she enhanced the books by having puppets, props, and live animals to help illustrate the stories. Her grandchildren loved visiting the Little Rock Zoo with her for activities such as petting snakes, or visiting the elephants, who recognized her voice when she greeted them.
Em was a voracious reader for her entire life. She was a loyal patron of the Central Arkansas Library System, a charter member of the Thompson Library’s Evening Book Club, and she also participated actively in the Between the Lines Book Club.
Em was always exceptionally skilled with fabrics and yarn. She sewed countless outfits and Halloween costumes for her children as well as her grandchildren, and knitted numerous hats, sweaters, and lap robes for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Alzheimer’s Center, ARORA, and Guideposts. She also knitted numerous dog sweaters for the Humane Society annual auction. Em shared her knowledge by teaching countless beginners how to knit at the Thompson Library Knitting Circle.
Em loved sharing all sorts of events, large or small, with her husband and her children, and later on, with her grandchildren. She especially loved dogs, and the family had a number of pets over the years, even including a goat named Happy Easter! She had a somewhat mischievous sense of humor, which led to all sorts of unexpected practical jokes on her family and friends over the years. She was a very talented storyteller at family dinners, and her stories will be much missed by her family and friends.
Em was preceded in death by her husband, Wade. She is survived by her two daughters: Carol Anne Myers (Richard) of Newton, Mass., and Kimberlee Swindler (Courtney) of Little Rock. She is survived by four grandchildren: Carol Anne’s children, Margaret Rosequist (Andy) and Madelyn Myers; and Kimberlee’s children, Alexander and Andrew Swindler. She is also survived by one great-granddaughter, Juniper Rosequist.
A service will be planned at a later date. For those wishing to make a memorial donation in lieu of flowers, suggestions include the Education Department at the Little Rock Zoo (1 Zoo Dr, Little Rock, Ark. 72205), or the Humane Society of Pulaski County (14600 Colonel Glenn Rd, Little Rock, Ark. 72210).