Sharon A. Smith, 64, of Parsons died at 7:12 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.

She was born Sept. 18, 1944, in Long Beach, Calif., to Oren and Fayrene (Kenworthy) Dickens. As a young girl, she grew up in Neodesha, where she attended schools and graduated from Neodesha High School.

She married Eugene "Gene" Smith in 1965. He survives.

In 1971, she moved to Parsons, where she was employed for 35 years as a medication aide at Elmhaven East, retiring in 2006.

She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Other survivors include a son, Oren E. "Boo" Smith and his wife, Karesa, of Parsons; two daughters, Destiny "Dee" Nunez and her husband, Jorge, of Parsons and Reletta "Sis" Guevara and her husband, Ralph, of Sapulpa, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, Albert "Bobby" Dickens and his wife, Margaret, of Chanute; and three sisters, Patricia McBride and Diana "Sue" Hadaegh, both of Parsons, and Peggy Collins and her husband, Loren, of Altoona.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Richard Dickens; and a sister, Norma Bennett.

The service will be at 2 p.m. today at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home. The casket will remain closed. Burial will be in Springhill Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association. These may be left at or sent to the funeral home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.