Evelyn Smith

Evelyn Joyce Smith, age 94, of Whitefield, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on October 1st, 2024. She was born on August 28, 1930, in Littleton, New Hampshire.
As a resident of Dalton NH, Evelyn graduated from Whitefield High School in Whitefield NH in 1950. After high school she went on to work at various hotels and resorts, venturing as far away as Florida before returning home and meeting the love of her life Clarence (Bum) Smith while working at the Gilman Paper Mill. They married on October 12, 1954. They lived in Dalton NH for a brief time and then moved to Gilman VT where they lived until Bum passed away in 2016. Evelyn resided at Sartwell Assisted Living for the last eight years, where the staff took exceptional care of her.
Evelyn was a lover of the outdoors, in every season. An avid cross-country skier, hiker, and walk taker, she was outside or on her porch every chance she could get. In her younger days, she chaperoned at the Gilman ski hill and skating rink, ensuring that her children and the youth in the community had the opportunities to love the outdoors as much as she did. Evelyn instilled a love for winter and winter activities in everyone she met. She was a 4-H leader and liked sharing her skills with the children. She was a member of the Methodist Church and helped with many luncheons and community dinners.
Her greatest passion was caring for others, always ready to lend a hand to neighbors and friends in need. However, her family was her true driving force. Taking care of her children, husband and grandchildren brought her immense joy. She delighted in playing Bingo, savoring chocolate, knitting mittens, listening to music, dancing, and sewing quilts, headbands and neckups. Watching Bum and Evelyn dance was an awe-inspiring experience, a cherished memory for her children and grandchildren.
Evelyn is survived by her son, Dennis Smith, and his wife Teresa (Tracy); her daughters, Joyce Presby and her husband Bradley, and Nancy O’Brien and her husband Sean. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Jason Smith, Julie Ross and her husband Dan, Doug Spencer and his wife Alyssa, Robin Simons and her partner Patrick Alfonsi, Christi Murphy and her husband Peter, Ryan Presby and his wife Donabeth, Casey Sylvain and her husband Nicholas, Ian O’Brien, and Cavan O’Brien. Her great-grandchildren include Aubrey, Bailey, Curtis, and Declan Ross; Sydney and Tyler Murphy; Addison, Cameron, and Nolan Presby; and Caitlin and Gwenyth Sylvain. Evelyn was predeceased by her parents, Mae (Kibbee) Thayer and Warren Thayer Sr.; her beloved sisters, Eunice Thayer (Harvey) and Avis Thayer (Hutchins); her brother, Warren Thayer Jr.; and her beloved husband, Clarence (Bum) Smith.
A memorial service will be held on October 19th, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the First Congregational Church of Dalton. This will be followed by a luncheon at the Grange Hall, with a committal service at Riverside Cemetery in Lunenburg. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Gilman Senior Center, a place that Evelyn and Bum regularly visited.