Mary Webner Smith

Mary Webner Smith ’59 died on June 30, 2022. Mary graduated from Otterbein with a long family history of alumni. She was involved in the concert choir, Tan & Cardinal and Sibyl publications, played volleyball and was in the Sigma Alpha Tau (Owls) sorority. At Otterbein she met her husband Fred Smith who graduated in 1957. Mary attended summer school at Kent State and loaded her schedule in order to graduate a year ahead of schedule, 1958, with a double major in English and French and a minor in Education. Two weeks after graduation, she and Fred were married.

Mary was a retired English and French teacher in Galion, Ohio. She was active in the music program, directed Vacation Bible School in the past, and served on many committees at Christ United Methodist Church in Galion. She also volunteered at the Galion Community Theatre, the Galion Public Library, and in doing some tutoring.

Mary is survived by her husband of 64 years, Fred E. Smith ’57, five sons, five daughters-in-law, 13 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, brother-in-law, Paul Smith ’53, and MaryAnn Charles Eschbach ’56.

She was preceded in death by numerous alumni including: great-grandfather Daniel Ira Lambert 1897; grandparents William Otterbein Lambert 1900 and Loretta Adams Lambert 1903; mother, Mary Lucile Lambert Webner 1925; aunt Elise Pauline Lambert Warfel 1923; uncle Charles Otterbein Lambert 1927; and brother-in-law, Ronald Smith ’51. Other family alumni to precede her in death include: Caroline Lambert Charles 1901; Oscar Henry Charles 1907; Horace Mayne 1913; Paul J. Harris 1923; Daniel A. Harris 1923; John C. Mayne 1923; Bertha Lambert Harris 1926; Phillip L. Charles 1929; James L. Harris 1930; Richard L. Harris 1932; Ruth Lambert Dickerson 1934; Jean Mayne Fulton ’41; Henrietta Mayne Hobbs ’44; and Richard Charles ’57.