Mary Beth Smith

"Ive led an ordinary life, but I couldnt be happier with it!" Everyone who knew Mary Beth would agree with the happiness part. But ordinary? Never. Through the years, Mary Beth channeled her passions for fine art, theater, books, family and friends into a lifetime of teaching, travel and community service. Mary Beth served as a docent at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and a guide at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art most enjoyably guiding tours for grade school children. Her volunteer work also included reading for the Kansas Audio-Reader Network, helping refugees settle in Kansas City through the Don Bosco Centers and tutoring with Literacy Kansas City. And she served on the Prairie Village Parks and Recreation Committee. Her first career was teaching high school speech and drama in Effingham, Illinois. She also acted in a summer theater group, where she met her husband Scott. Early married life involved frequent job relocations that brought the family to Kansas City, where Mary and Scott settled with their children, Alex and Nora, in 1985. Mary Beth worked as a paralegal with several local firms, including Stinson Morrison Hecker; Shughart Thomson & Kilroy; Shook, Hardy and Kirkland Woods & Martinsen. Mary and Scotts shared love of travel resulted in several foreign trips: Africa, South America and (no surprise) many European cities noted for their impressive art museums. Favorite domestic destinations included New York City; Marthas Vineyard; and Estes Park, Colorado. Mary Beth also accompanied Scott on many of his frequent business trips for HNTB, turning them into romantic getaways. After high school in Charleston, Illinois and graduation from Eastern Illinois University, Mary kept in touch with a circle of her girlhood friends, traveling often for fun with them. Locally, her most valued friendships were found in book groups and dinner clubs, including the 20-Plus Group, the Supper Club and the Singing Dinner Club. But family came first for Mary, starting with Scott, the great true love of her life. They cultivated a home full of music and laughter. Nearly every week at the Smith house ended on a high note: Sunday evening family dinner, when they welcomed son Alex and his wife, Gina Kaufmann; and daughter Nora and her husband, Marshall Lockton. The family grew in recent years with the additions of adored grandchildren Miles and Sloane Lockton, who loved their "Mimi." Mary also treasured her brother, Mel Boyer, and his wife, Cindy; and her sister, Jane Wise, and her husband, Gary. She fostered close relationships with her nieces and nephews: Emma Boyer, William Boyer, Graham Wise, Ali Varner (and her husband, Andy) and great-nieces Lucy and Ava Varner. She maintained strong ties to her father-in-law, David Smith; and her brother-in-law, Marc Smith, and his wife, Betsy. She was preceded by her mother-in-law, Wanda Smith. Mary was uniquely blessed with life, sustenance, curiosity and inspiration by her late parents, Charles and Betty Boyer. We miss Mary. But she is with us always and forever. A celebration of Marys life will take place at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art at 4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64111 on Thursday, June 4th at 5 pm. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, Mary Beths family suggests donations to the Kansas Audio-Reader Network, which can be sent to Audio-Reader, P.O. Box 847, Lawrence, KS 66044 or to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.