Marcella Smith, age 97 of Emmetsburg, passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026 at Lakeside Lutheran Home in Emmetsburg. Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Emmetsburg. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until the time of service at the church. Burial will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Emmetsburg. Martin Mattice Funeral Home of Emmetsburg is assisting the family.
Marcella Thressa Smith, the daughter of Elmer and Vera (Lawrence) Naig, was born on October 22, 1928, in Cylinder, Iowa. On August 28, 1947, she was united in marriage to Wayne Smith at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Depew. Marcella worked alongside her husband on the family farm. After retiring from the farm, they moved into town in Emmetsburg.
Marcella then worked at Lakeside helping residents in the dining hall. She also worked at Subway as a sandwich artist for 20 years, retiring at age 86.
Marcella was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Emmetsburg, LWML, the quilting ladies of LWML, and TOPS. She enjoyed baking and taught nieces and nephews how to make kringla; she enjoyed puzzles and had a collection of over 200 pigs in her “pig room”.
Left to cherish Marcella’s memory are her children, Nancella (Craig) Dobbins of West Lafayette, IN and Lonnie (Rhonda) Smith of Hubbard; grandchildren, Jarett (Lesley) Dobbins, Carrie (Steve Kitts) Dobbins, Monica (Scott) Chambers, and Lacey (Manny) Sotelo; great grandchildren, Jack and Anne Dobbins, Miles and Morgan Kitts, and Gracey and Robert Mann; step great grandchildren, Gatlin and Aniston Chambers; sister, Grace Ann Fanning of IL; and a sister-in-law, Marilyn Naig of Emmetsburg.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; parents, Elmer and Vera; son, Ricky Smith; siblings, Josephine (Arno) Juhl, Marie (Ken) Evenson, Charley (June), LeRoy (Alice), Robert (Marilyn), Richard, and Gaylord (Janice); and brother-in-law, Rev. Allen Fanning.
Memorials may be made in Marcella’s name and directed to Hospice of Palo Alto County.
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