MARGARET J. SMITH

Margaret J. Smith Margaret J. Smith, age 83, of Emporia, KS., died Tuesday, December 21, 2010, at her daughter’s home near Gridley. A graveside celebration of life service will be held Monday, December 27, 2010, at 10:00 A.M., at the Strong City Cemetery in Strong City, KS. The lay minister will be Alvin Kaufman. The daughter of Paul W. and Florence Hock Gossard, Margaret J. was born May 11, 1927, in Dayton, Ohio. She and Lemuel Dickerson were married and he died in 1954. She married Art Smith and he died. She and her companion, Noble Searcy, were together until he died in 2008. She was a homemaker and worked as a cook/waitress at S&S Café in Emporia for 20 years before her retirement. She is survived by two sons: Richard E. Dickerson of Kansas City, MO. And Lemuel S. Dickerson of Ottawa, KS.; two daughters: Deborah A. Coop of Vancover, WA. And Darla Kaufman of Burlington, KS.; 14 Grandchildren; 30 Great Grandchildren; eight Great Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathy Kelly; two brothers: Paul William Gossard and John Gossard; a sister, Mary Ann Gossard; and her parents. There will be a family visitation Sunday, from 6:00 until 7:30, at the Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home. Friends may call Sunday, from noon until 7:30 P.M. Memorial contributions to Hand in Hand Hospice may be sent in care of the funeral home, 201 Cherry, Cottonwood Falls, KS. 66845. Messages to the family may be left at www.brown-bennett-alexander.com.

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