Lucile Meredith Smith

Lucile Meredith Smith, 73, who had resided in Louisville, Kentucky, Crestwood, Kentucky, and most recently, Mt. Washington, Kentucky, passed away at 6:50 am on Saturday, March 20, 2021, at Norton Audubon Hospital following a sudden and unexpected health complication.

Those who knew her fondly called the Bowling Green, Kentucky native, "Cile". Lucile was born on October 31, 1947, and was the youngest of the three daughters born to Col. Nelson A. (Gus) and Juanita Miller Meredith. Prior to his death in 2017, Bobby D. Smith had been Lucile's beloved husband and constant companion. They had been married for 47 years. Lucile was baptized at First Baptist Church of Bowling Green, Kentucky, where she remained a life-long member. She also attended church at the Baptist Church in Crestwood, Kentucky.

From Kindergarten until graduating high school in 1965, Lucile attended the teacher's Training school of Western Kentucky University named College High. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Western Kentucky University and received her Master of Education degree from the University of Louisville in the area of Special Education. Mrs. Smith taught for thirty-one years in the Jefferson County Public School System. As a pioneer in Special Education beginning her career in 1968, she taught students primarily in the area of Specific Learning Disabilities until her retirement on June 1, 1999.
Lucile's passions included being with family members, collecting antiques, watching the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers play basketball, and enjoying the sunshine by the water. Holidays centered on family trips to her hometown to be with her parents, stepson, sisters, and their families until her mother's death in 2016. While her father was living, Lucile, her husband, and her sister, Jo, went with him each year to visit the final resting places of his relatives in Edmonson County, Kentucky, which at times required hiking into Mammoth Cave National Park. She was in annual attendance at the Miller Family Reunion in celebration of her mother's Monroe County, Kentucky heritage. Lucile was involved in collecting and reselling antiques for decades with her husband, her sister, Judy, and mother. Weekends were spent attending auctions and shows across the area and then placing wonderful treasures in various antique malls in Warren and Simpson counties. Lucile and Bobby enjoyed hosting the annual Derby Day gathering for family and friends in their home in Crestwood for over twenty years. During college basketball season, Lucile's allegiance to her favorite teams was proudly displayed on her sweatshirt while watching basketball games on any available television. At her home in Crestwood, she spent the morning hours soaking up sunshine beside the hot tub. Annual trips to the Alabama Coastal beaches were an extended family event spent by the pool and rarely in the sand. Lucile cherished the opportunity to gather with teaching colleagues and her network of close friends whose friendships spanned decades. Lucile was cherished for unselfishly giving of herself and for her intrinsic ability to be a good listener. When asked to describe her, many use the adjective, "Beloved".

Her parents, her husband, her eldest sister, Josephine (Jo) Meredith Roberson, and her great-nephew, Matthew Garrett Graham, preceded Lucile in death. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Stephanie Smith Jones (Wayne) of Mt. Washington, KY; her son, Luke Smith of Louisville, KY; step-son, Todd Smith of Bowling Green, KY; and treasured grandson, Ethan Ernst of Mt. Washington, KY. Her elder sister, Judith (Judy) Meredith Myers, of Bowling Green, KY, also survives Lucile, along with six nieces and nephews; eight great-nieces and nephews; two great-uncles; a great-aunt; several cousins; and her extraordinary friends, Mike and Lynn Hamilton and Cheryl Hagan. All who grieve her loss have treasured memories of their time spent in Lucile's company.

Graveside memorial and burial services for both Bobby and Lucile Smith to be held at 1:00 pm CDT on April 9, 2021 at Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green, KY.