Ellen 'Gerri' Geraldine (Powell) Smith

Ellen 'Gerri' Geraldine (Powell) Smith, 87, of Newark, died Saturday, October 17th, 2026, in Newark, Ohio surrounded by family.

She was born November 7th, 1938, in Parkersburg, WV to the late George Albey and Nancy Virginia (Rhodes) Powell. She was a 1957 graduate of Olive Orange High School in Tuppers Plains, Ohio.

She was a wife, a mother, a grandma, and great-grandma. She lived her life to take care of her family. After raising her babies, she worked for many years cleaning houses. She loved getting with her friends and bowling at Redskins Lanes in Utica in the Monday Morning Housewives league. She enjoyed listening to bluegrass music and going to shows, traveling with her beloved husband Bill and their friends, watching her soaps and Lifetime movies, square dancing, and being around family and friends.

She was one of a kind — a truly special, strong, and beautiful soul. She was beautiful inside and out, independent, ornery, full of life, and loved more than words could ever express. She had a beautiful smile that could light up a room, and a laugh that was unmistakably hers — the kind of laugh you could recognize anywhere and one you could never forget.

Her laughter will forever echo in our hearts, her smile will forever be in our memories, and her love will forever be a part of us.

She is survived by her children, Tarilynn (Mike) Dietrich, Deidra (Amos) Cross, Todd Smith, and Shannon (Rich) Luther; her grandchildren, Jeremy (Sara) Cowdery, Bryan (Bethany) Cowdery, Andrea Dietrich, Derrick Dietrich, Lindsay (Shane Keller) Dietrich, Austin (Erin) Cross, Robert (Megan) Cross, and Kiah (Alex Heim) Smith; her great grandchildren, Tyler, Alexis, Mary, Thomas, Audrey, Taylor, Madison, Joey, Jayda, Brodie, Adleigh, Braxton, Kallie, Paten, Violet, and Xander; and several great-great grandchildren; she had a special place in her heart for her grand fur-babies, Apple and Jack. She is also survived by her brother, Robert (Janet) Powell, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband of 6 years, Robert 'Bobby' Keith Cowdery and her loving husband of 60 years, William 'Bill' Glen Smith; her siblings, Virginia Woollard, Norval 'Jiggs' Powell, Ruth Shields Nicol, Ray Powell, and Norma Sovel, and her very special friend Jean Slone (may they now be drinking coffee together and catching up).

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Brucker and Kishler Funeral Home, with pastor Wally McLaughlin officiating. Burial will follow at Newark Memorial Gardens. Family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2026, at the funeral home, 985 N. 21st St. Newark.

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