Laurali Smith

Laurali Smith, 67, of Middlebury, died at Elkhart General Hospital on August 10, 2010 after a brief illness. She was born in Elkhart on November 1, 1942 to Thomas and Pauline (Flauding) Chester. She married Ted M. Smith June 23, 1963 in Elkhart.

Surviving are her husband Ted of Middlebury; her mother Pauline Chester of Elkhart; 2 sons Mark (Kaye) of Dowagiac, MI; Matthew (Cindy) of Elkhart; daughter Laura (John) Homan of Elkhart; 4 grandchildren Kathryn, Konnor, Hunter and Hanna; and 2 sisters Barbara (Phillip) True of Elkhart and Nancy (Tom) Lewandowski of Mishawaka.

She graduated from Elkhart High School in 1961 and North Central College, Naperville, IL in 1965 with a degree in secondary education but put off a career in teaching to raise her children. While a young mother, she was an instructor for LaLeche League. She was a 2nd grade teacher at New Creation Academy from 1999 until she retired to care for her mother in 2006. Before that, she worked as an aide at Elkhart Central High School and the Elkhart Credit Bureau. She was a founding member of New Creation Fellowship since 1979 and spent much of her time with church activities. In May of this year, she graduated from Victory Bible Institute.

Visitation will be two hours prior to the funeral service Saturday at 11:00 am at New Creation Fellowship in Granger. Rev. David Klahr will officiate. Burial will follow in Bonneyville Cemetery. Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Elkhart is handling arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Elkhart Christian Academy’s scholarship fund or New Creation’s pavilion project. To sign an online guestbook, visit www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com.