Eleanor W. 'Skip'(Wheeler) Smith

SALISBURY —Eleanor W. "Skip"(Wheeler) Smith, 90, of Selleck Hill Road, died Oct. 19, 2008, at Noble Horizons. She was the widow of Alfred E. "Jim" Smith, who died in 1974.

Skip was born Nov. 3, 1917, in Poughkeepsie, daughter of the late William and Mary (Finnucan) Wheeler.

Skip was employed as a dental assistant with Dr. Barr in Lakeville. She worked with Dr. Barr into the late 1960s. While working for Dr. Barr, she also assisted the doctor by helping those patients who may have needed a ride to get to the office.

She was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Lakeville and was a willing volunteer for many of the church activities such as the Fall Festival and lasagna dinners, and she worked at the Habitat for Humanity tag sale.

Skip served her country as a member of the U.S. Army and held the rank of sergeant with the 902nd Army Air Forces Base Unit.

She was awarded the American Theater Medal, Good Conduct Medal, WAC Service Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal.

Skip is survived by her son, Josh Smith of Salisbury.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Oct. 25 at noon in St. Mary’s Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Calling hours will be held on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main St., North Canaan.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, PO Box 582, Salisbury, CT 06068, or to the Lakeville Hose Company, Lakeville, CT 06039.