Mary Alberta (Kempf) Smith

Mary Alberta Kempf Smith was the first born to Albert Andrew Kempf and Mary Alene Gentry Kempf on December 31, 1925.  She was born and raised in Boonville with her six siblings: Maxine, Ted, Pat, Joan, Frederick, and Nancy.  She graduated from SS Peter and Paul Catholic High School. She and Richard Kelly Smith were married April 1, 1944, in Kansas City, MO. They resided on the Smith family farm, where she was no stranger to hard work. She and Richard welcomed two sons, Danny and Dale.  Berta passed away surrounded by her family September 27, 2022, at 96 years of age. 

The last of her generation in the family, she was the matriarch of the family who did everything from helping on the farm, always hosted meals, and never hesitated to care for family and friends.  At 18, she cared for her younger siblings when her mother passed away. After their marriage, Alberta ran a tractor and did farm chores with Richard for years until the birth of their children.  She cared for her nieces and nephews alongside her own boys and later cared for her grandchildren.

 Alberta was an avid gardener and church goer.  She enjoyed tending to her massive garden, cooking, spending time and visiting with her family. She could often be found outside in her yard nurturing her love for flowers and plants and enjoyed watching the birds. At church, she was a song leader and hardly ever missed a service at Mount Hermon Baptist Church south of Boonville, save for her last two years when she resided at Riverdell Nursing Home.

Alberta was preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings. Her eldest son, Danny, tragically preceded her in death in December of 1996.  Her husband, Richard, passed away in September of 2005. She leaves behind a son: Dale (Terri) Smith of Boonville; daughter-in-law: Donna Ray Smith (Danny) of Boonville; grandchildren: Brandon Smith and Savannah (Mark) Garrison of Boonville; step-grandchildren: Tagan Wilkin of Boonville, and Logan (Jennifer) Wilkin of Kansas City; greatgrandchildren: Paylii and Prudence Smith, William and Zoey Garrison, Brooklyn and Colton Mise, and Lily Wilkin, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

Visitation for Alberta will be 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. Sunday, October 2 at Howard Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Monday October 3 at Howard Funeral Home with Pastor George Rentschler officiating. Burial to follow in Walnut Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of plants or flowers, the family requests donations to Mount Hermon Baptist Church of Boonville. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Alberta (Kempf) Smith, please visit our floral store.