Lois C. Smith, age 93, of Gettysburg, Ohio, passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at The Brethren Retirement Community.
Lois was born on August 22, 1933, in Franklin Township in Darke County, Ohio, the daughter of the late Clarence and Mildred (Wolfe) Garbig.
Lois is survived by her husband of 65 years, Gordon Smith (they met showing cows at the Miami County Fair), whom she married in Hamilton, Ohio, on July 8, 1961; her children, Carrie Smith and Dr. Wade (Susan) Smith; her granddaughter, Sophia Smith, and her sister, Marjorie Howell; as well as the many friends she met throughout her life.
As a farm kid she was a member of the Guernsey 4-H Club and was chosen to go to the Ohio State Fair. She was thrilled to win 1st place in the Dairy Demonstration. She won many awards while showing cattle in the area.
After graduating from Franklin Township High School she went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science from The Ohio State University (one of the first women to ever do this) in 1958. While at OSU she participated in musical productions, and had her own weekly country music radio show. As a senior she was selected to a membership in Mortar Board, the national senior women’s honorary society. She was named one of 3 outstanding women students on campus and also the first woman on the OSU Dairy Judging team.
In the late 50’s she and her family won Hoards Dairyman Judging Contest, a nationwide event. She also authored a story as “Lewis Gary” that was accepted for publication in Hoards Dairyman Magazine, but there was one catch, they needed a picture. She had to write back and tell them she was actually a girl. They passed on a picture but published the article using the pseudonym.
A career in teaching followed. She taught elementary school in Columbus, Milton-Union, Gettysburg and Versailles. She obtained a Masters Degree in education from Miami University in 1969 and went on to be the Versailles Middle School principal for several years.
While at Versailles she started the annual middle school Frog Jumping Contest, which was covered in the media both far and wide. After stepping down as Principle she went back to the classroom and taught Environmental Science at Versailles.
With her summers free she worked for Dekalb AgResearch producing hybrid seed corn for 8 years. She called that the most interesting thing she had ever done.
In the 70’s she wrote and published many short stories and articles for such publications as Children’s Highlights, Writers Digest, Country Living and many others too numerous to name.
Lois was awarded a grant and won a two-week stay at an Audubon Ecology Camp in Wyoming in the late 80’s. She was chosen the Darke County Farm Bureau Woman of the year in 1999.
She was a member and past president of the Ohio Gourd Society, served as President of the Gettysburg lions club, served on the board at Bear’s Mill where she also served as a docent guiding many tours and co-authored a definitive history of the Mill. She and Gordon had a love for the Great Darke County Fair where Lois served as Camping Secretary of the North end for 20 years and as the Secretary of the Dairy Department for 25 years. She also was involved in the Flower Shows, winning awards for her arrangements and single flower entries. She and Gordon were honored by being selected as Parade Marshals for the Great Darke County Fair in 2020.
Lois was an active member of the Stelvideo Christian Church where she played the organ and started a puppet-ministry for Childrens’ Church.
Lois had a great love for plants, flowers and growing things. Every year she canned and froze vegetables from her garden.
A celebration of Lois’s life will be held at 12:00 PM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home with Pastor Tracy Brown officiating. Burial will follow Beamsville Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 10 AM until the time of the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Darke County Humane Society or Bears Mill.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.zecharbailey.com for the Smith family.
