Catherine Smith

Catherine "Katie" (Probasco) Smith was born on August 2, 1918, in Dunlap, Iowa. She was the daughter of a farmer William "Will" and Mary (Blankenship) Probasco. She taught at a one-room country schoolhouse until she married Edmond H. "Eddie" Smith in 1940. The couple traded in farming in 1958 for the adventures and cultural experiences of Phoenix, Arizona. In 1964 they chose a less metropolitan lifestyle in Dixon, California. They lived there for the remainder of their lives.

Catherine loved her family, nature, cooking, traveling, and her own quiet relationship with the Lord. She retired from the Dixon post office and then wrote and published several cookbooks. She and Eddie traveled throughout the US as well as to Europe. Eddie died in 1997. In 2003 Catherine married Meredith Amass and continued to travel by taking cruises with Meredith.

Catherine passed away peacefully on August 27, 2015, at age 97 years and 25 days, with her family by her side.

Catherine was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Edmond Smith; an infant sister; two sisters, Wilma Park-Postma and Eleanor Soetmelk; and two brothers, Edward "Harvey" Probasco and William "Bill" Probasco. She is survived by her husband, Meredith Amass of Dixon, California; five children, Marilyn Won (Ron) Hoppes of Davis, California, Marvin (Christie) Smith of Chico, California, Russell (Christine) Smith of Cottonwood, California, Roberta (Greig) Van Every of Dixon, California, Juanita Joy (Dale Blosser) of Vancouver, Washington; six grandchildren, Eric (Wendy) Won, Julie Won (Damien) Brower, Preston (Ashleigh) Smith, Bryan Smith, Brad (Susie) Smith, Chad Smith; four great grandchildren; sister, Lillian (Murlyn) Ronk of Dunlap, Iowa; sister-in-law, Rosalie Probasco of Woodbine, Iowa; multiple nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.