Marta Smith

Marta Smith, 40, died at home after a two-year battle with cancer. Marta was born January 22, 1967, to Ruth Link Deuschle and the late Erhardt “Dutch” Deuschle. She loved growing up in Prairie Village and attending St. Ann’s, playing CYO sports and SM East High School. She played volleyball and was active in the honor society, and the international club. Marta graduated from K State in 1990 with degrees in History, Social Science and an emphasis in Art History. She was particularly proud of her intern work at the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene and her recorded history of Rock Springs Ranch that she completed for the Kansas 4-H club. She worked for Crown Center for over 20 years, where she loved working with people and promoting Kansas City. Marta’s most recent employer was Horn Aylward and Bandy, where she worked as a paralegal. In 1992, Marta married Dan Smith and began her family. Delia Ruth Smith was born 9/23/96 and Josiah Erhardt Smith was born 4/23/98. More than anything, Marta loved her family and raising her children. Blood donation was important to her and would donate every eight weeks when the blood bank requested. An annual blood drive is being set up in her name at the Highlands Community of Christ congregation. Marta was a member of the Highlands Community of Christ for over 10 years and taught Sunday School with her teaching partner Kathy. She also helped with Vacation Bible School and Christian Education. She is overwhelmed at the support that our congregation has given in her time of need. Thanks for loving my family. She also loved musicals and reading. She loved to play volleyball and softball as well as ice skating and ice hockey. She loved watching her family participate in the same sports. The environment and recycling are important to her as well. Marta leaves behind her husband of over 14 years, Dan, her daughter Delia and son Josiah. She also leaves behind her mother, Ruth Deuschle, her sister Lisa Deuschle, and brother Steve Deuschle, all of Prairie Village, Kan., her sister Anne Deuschle of Kansas City, Mo., and many relatives spread around the country. Also Murray and Elizabeth Smith of Portland, Oregon, Melanie Cooper and family of Portland, Oregon, Beth and Charlie Seefeldt of Derby, Connecticut, and Dawn and Randy Yoell and family of Windsor, Ontario Canada. She also leaves behind her dear friends, Carrie, Laura, Maggie and Marika, her cool hockey mom’s group of Amy, Barb, Kelly and Maggie. Marta was an active member of the Line Creek Figure Skating Club on the Synchronized Skating board and enjoyed being a part of the “skating family” at the Line Creek Ice Arena. She loved watching Delia skate on the Go Figure synchronized skating team and her son Josiah play hockey for the KC Fighting Saints. There will be a memorial service held at the Highlands Community of Christ and her ashes will be scattered at the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, along the Lake Michigan shore in northern Michigan. May God bless Marta’s family and friends as we continue our journey here on this earth. Her memorial service will be on March 3rd at the Highlands Community of Christ on N. Platte Purchase Drive in Kansas City North.