Betty Ruth (Fithian) Smith
Mrs. Betty Ruth (Fithian) Smith, 93, of Derwood, Md., passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014.
She was born in Knox, Pa., on Jan. 19, 1921, the sixth of eight children (five girls and three boys) born to the late James Herbert Fithian and Carrie Mae (Parker) Fithian. She was raised in Parker, where her father worked for the Knox Glass Bottle Company.
During her high school days in the Class of 1940, she was pictured in the May 2, 1938, edition of Life magazine, featuring Kenneth Christy's “Permanent Wave” hairstyling technique.
Being from a musically talented family, she fondly remembered singing in high school chorus, ensemble and trio.
Betty married Clarence W. “Curt” Smith of West Monterey in 1942. In 1946 they moved to Washington, D. C., where Curt worked for Capital Airlines and they raised their three children, Ronald W. Smith, Rebecca M. Carll and Elizabeth J. Flower. In the 1970s they moved to Derwood, near Gaithersburg, and established close friendships with their neighbors.
Betty and Curt were married for 64 years before Curt's death in 2006.
Betty was best known for being an excellent caregiver, homemaker, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and neighbor. Over the years she enjoyed frequent visits to Parker and surrounding areas to be with family and friends.
She is survived by her brother, Richard T. Fithian of Beaufort, S.C.; her three children; her eight grandchildren; her seven great- grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.
Smith — The funeral for Mrs. Betty R. (Fithian) Smith, who passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, was Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, at the DeVol Funeral Home, Gaithersburg, Md.The service was followed by interment at Parklawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Rockville, Md.Information and a guest book also are available at http://www.devolfuneralhome.com.
