Lucille Smit Obituary

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Lucille G. Smit, age 93, of Rock Rapids, Iowa passed away Sunday, June 29, 2025, at the George Good Samaritan Society.

A public committal service will be at 11:30 AM, Saturday July 5th, prior to the memorial service, at Hope Reformed Cemetery, rural George, IA.

The memorial service will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday July 5th at First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Dan Haggar officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.

Family will direct memorials to Avera Hospice.

Lucille Gladys (Hilbrands) Smit was born on November 9, 1931 on a farm near George, Iowa. Lucille was the daughter of Louie and Dena (Stubbe) Peters. She lived in the George area all her life except for a brief time in California. Lucille “Bunny” would fondly talk of her trip on the train to California when she was five to visit relatives. She graduated from George High School in 1949, and worked at the White Shop Cafe and Siebring Mfg. Lucille married Alfred Hilbrands Nov 3, 1950 They lived on a dairy farm southeast of Rock Rapids and raised their family of eight children. Lucille tended to the young dairy calves. They enjoyed being active in the Lyon County Dairy Assoc. and AMPI. Many memories were made on the annual convention trips held by AMPI to places like Chicago and San Antonio. Alfred passed away in 1984 at the age of 55 from cancer. In 1992, Lucille married Donald Smit of Hull. They enjoyed camping and traveling to Alaska and California to visit relatives and spending their winters in Texas. Donald passed away in 2014. Lucille continued to be active, taking a memorable trip thru the Panama Canal. She moved to Premier Estates in Rock Rapids in August of 2019 after having some health issues. In May of 2024 she suffered a fall, filling her beloved bird feeder, and broke her hip resulting in her moving to George Good Samaritan Center in August. She peacefully passed away on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Lucille enjoyed going to watch events of her grandchildren which ranged from camping in Aurelia, Iowa for baseball, traveling to Tennessee for wrestling and going to Fargo for football. She was so appreciative of all the visits from family and friends to the nursing home, always ending the visit with "thanks for coming". She will be missed by all those who loved her.

She is survived by sons Dale, Milt, Kent (Carla) and Jason (Dawn); Her daughters Glenda Schellin (Roger) and Judy Gacke (Joe); 17 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Stanley Hilbrands (Erma); and sister-in-law Hilda Hilbrands, numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents Louie and Dena Peters; husbands Alfred Hilbrands and Donald Smit; sons, Curtis and Elton; granddaughter Kirsten Schellin; and great-grandson Trey Gacke. In-laws Fred and Tena Hilbrands; and brothers John(Esther), Pete (Kathryn), Ray (Tille), Merlin (Dixie); and sisters Jennie Boomgaarden (Jake), Tressa Henrichs (Wesley), Darlene Nagel (Lendert) and Beverly Sholberg (Gordon). In-laws Abe Hilbrands(Dorothy), Jennie TenBraak (Henry), Harvey Hilbrands and Vera Teunissen (Bert).