Lila (Hovland) Smith

Lila Wonnette (Hovland) Spalding Smith, 99, of Shelton, WA, passed away on December 5, 2019. She was born on January 15, 1920, in Minneota, Minnesota, to Louis and Sarah (Severson) Hovland. She attended country grade school in District 39 and graduated from Minneota High School in 1937 as Salutatorian of her class.

In 1942, she traveled to Washington, DC, for a job in the U.S. War Department, Office Chief of Engineers.

She married Luther Spalding, US Navy Submarine Service, on May 31, 1947. During the family’s time with the Navy, they lived in San Francisco, San Diego, Hawaii and Tacoma until Lu’s military retirement in 1960 when they settled in Tacoma.

Lila worked as Registrar of Tacoma General Nursing School for 11 1/2 years before moving to Lake Cushman, Hoodsport, following retirement.

Lu passed away in 1982. Lila married Robert Smith in 1983 and moved to Shelton. Bob passed away in 2012.

She was a long-time member of Faith Lutheran Church in Shelton, Hood Canal Good Sams (30 years), and various community organizations. She had been living at Maple Glen Senior Living in Shelton since 2014.

Lila is survived by her daughters, VickiKay Spalding of Tacoma, Carolyn Catlin of Olympia, grandson Eric Becklund of Tacoma, sister Arlene (Tollefson) of Montevideo, MN, sisters-in-law Marie Hovland of Mesa, AZ and Jan Hovland of Montevideo, MN; goddaughter Becky Larson of Phoenix, AZ and a large extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents and eight brothers and sisters.