VaLeta Elaine Rodier

VaLeta Elaine (Smith) Rodier devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, calligrapher, and quilter joined her beloved husband, David, in heaven on January 21, 2023. Val was born Dec. 23, 1941 to Wade Estle and Lillian Pameila (Summers) Smith at the family home in Willow Springs, MO.

Val left Willow Springs upon graduating high school to attend Drury University. She completed her BA in Art Education in just three and half years, graduating in January 1963. She and David married on Dec. 27, 1962. Directly after winter graduation, Val joined David in Nashville, TN where he was pursuing his PhD in philosophy. Like many young wives in the early sixties, Val worked full-time at Vanderbilt to help support David's graduate studies and they started a family. She was by his side through illness, open heart surgery and recovery, while having young Jon-Marc to care for as well. In the years that followed, Val followed David's university career to Illinois and finally to Washington, DC. Each university brought another family member, Pamela and then Michelle. Val was a volunteer calligrapher for the White House for many years – which was always a great "tell us something unusual about you" icebreaker. Throughout her lifetime, Val loved to share, and actively supported, art and creative expression with children and especially those who were disadvantaged. She help found a quilting group making quilts for Project Linus and Bundles of Joy. She volunteered her time and talents in Cassidy and Alexandre's schools. Val was the person rarely in the picture or spotlight, she served her family, congregations, friends, and community from backstage. She greeted every person as a friend with a bright smile and a laugh. Val was the master of looking very innocent when the laughter got too loud, her group got too rowdy, or when sneaking candy to restless kids of all ages in church. Val, with David, were patrons of education. They established scholarships in memory of her parents, to further the education of promising students. She loved attending, in person or virtually, every performance, concert, theater production, and sporting event to cheer her children and then her grandchildren's efforts and accomplishments.

Val was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years and will be interred beside him in Willow Springs. She was preceded also by both her parents, her brother (Webster Herl), her sister (Carol Carlita Todd), her daughter-in-law (Susan Elaine) and her grandson (Hunter Silliman). She is survived and celebrated by her children, Jon-Marc Rodier (Susan Elizabeth), Pamela (Robert) Silliman and Michelle Rodier; her nephews Charles (Anita) Todd and Pascal (Dustine) Rodier, and her nieces Wanda (Gordon) Brooks and Anita Carol Todd; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren Teagen, Aidan, Alexandre, Cassidy, Saige and Kyrie.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Willow Springs Scholarship Club, PO Box 484, Willow Springs, MO 65793 (for The Wade and Lillian (Summers) Smith Memorial Tuition Scholarship).

A graveside service will be held on Monday, June 12, at Willow Springs City Cemetery at 11:00 A.M. with Dean Sharp officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Willow Funeral Home, LLC.