Louise Etta Knowlton Smith, obituary

Fri, 03/23/2018 - 4:30pm

Louise Etta Knowlton Smith, 95, died at her home in Liberty on March 19 of heart failure. Louise was born in Liberty on May 19, 1922, the oldest daughter of Claudius and Ivanella Knowlton.

Louise graduated from Walker High School in Liberty in 1939 and graduated from Waldo County General Hospital Nursing School in Belfast as a registered nurse. In 1946 she married Royce Smith of Sandy Point, Maine. The couple moved to Kittery, Maine in 1951. Louise worked in private duty, hospital nursing and school nursing before starting her work as a home health nurse in Kittery.

Louise and Royce built a camp on Lake St. George in Liberty in 1956 and spent lots of time there during summers.

In the 1980s, they built a year-round home on their property in Liberty and retired there.

Louise was a former member of the First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, and after retirement was a member of the Sandy Point Congregational Church.

At both churches she was a member of the Ladies groups and enjoyed working on church fairs.

She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and in the 1960s was a Worthy Matron at the Kittery chapter.

Louise loved to knit, sew, quilt and cross stitch, and shared her handiwork with many family members and friends. Louise had a keen mind and learned to use the internet in her 90s, enjoying social media sites as a way to see pictures and keep up with activities of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives. She was always interested in the lives of her family and friends and loved her visits with them. Louise was an avid Boston Red Sox fan.

Louise was predeceased by her husband, Royce, in 2014. She was also predeceased by her sisters Ruth Linscott, Erma Overlock, Mary Grindle, and Carolyn Thompson.

Louise is survived by her brother Justin Knowlton and Sandy Arsenault; brother Wade Knowlton and wife Sandy; sister Barbara Sylvester; brothers-in-law Vernon Thompson, Floyd Smith and Tink Smith; sisters-in-law Glenna Salley and Judy Files and husband Steve; daughter Gerry Randall and husband John; daughter Jane Bourassa and husband Bob; granddaughter Michelle McLaughlin and husband Michael; grandson Jay Randall and wife Deb; granddaughter Kathy Hnatow and husband Keith; grandson Jim Bourassa and wife Katherine; grandson Andy Bourassa and wife Katie; 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 12, at 2 p.m. at Sandy Point Congregational Church with interment of ashes to follow at the Sandy Point Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Louise's memory to the Overlock Family Scholarship with checks sent to Hazel Kopishke, 471 Liberty Road, Washington, Maine 04574. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.ripostafh.com.