Esther Louise Smith, age 86, of Rochester, Minnesota, passed away Thursday, December 27, 2012 at Madonna Towers Nursing Home in Rochester. Esther was born in Bay City, Michigan on October 7, 1926, the youngest of 6 children and only daughter. She attended Immanuel Lutheran School and graduated from Bay City High School. She married Dale O. Smith on June 24, 1950. Together they raised 5 children.

Surviving is her spouse, Spouse: Dale Smith of Rochester, MN, her children Dan Smith of Ft. Pierce, FL, Cathy (Bob) Girard, of Elkhart, IN, Rick Smith of Big Rapids, MI, Marianne Bigelow of Elkhart, IN and Tracy (Bob) Decklever, of Byron, MN. Also surviving are her Grandchildren, Ben (Courtney) Miller of Elkhart, IN, Angie (Scott) Herman of St. Louis, MO, Jocelyn (Thomas) Krueter of Elkhart, IN, Jacob Decklever, Byron of MN, Claire Decklever of Byron, MN, and Alyssa Sherrill of Elkhart, IN as well as her Great-Grandchildren; Kailyn Krueter, Camden Krueter, and Dominic Miller, all of Elkhart, IN. Esther is also survived by her brother George (Betty) Eichinger of Bay City, MI. She was preceded in death by her brothers Ed Eichinger, Herb Eichinger, Arnie Eichinger and Bernard Eichinger, all of Bay City, MI, and a Daughter-in-law Sandy Smith of Ft. Pierce, FL.

There will be one hour of calling prior to the 1:00 pm funeral service on Monday, December 31, 2012 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola. Rev. Carl Bassett will preside. Interment will follow on the grounds of Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola, Indiana.

In her memory, memorials may be sent to the Lutheran Heritage Foundation or Trinity Lutheran School, Elkhart, Indiana.