Marian (Shea) Smith

MILLERTON — Marian (Shea) Smith, 94, a 65-year resident of Millerton, died peacefully on Dec. 15, 2020, at Sharon Hospital with family at her bedside. 

Mrs. Smith worked as a health care aide at Noble Horizons in Salisbury for over 20 years prior to her retirement.

Born Oct. 30, 1926, in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Marian (Scheurer) and Joseph Shea. 

Following her graduation from high school she married Stanley G. Smith in Pennsylvania in 1945 and briefly resided in Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Millerton with their young family. They shared 50 years together before Mr. Smith’s passing on July 30, 1995.   

Over the course of six-plus decades in Millerton, Marian worked for Keuffel & Esser in Millerton and wrote a weekly column for The Millerton News. Her “Cracker Barrel” column focused on weekly events and happenings in and around Millerton and was enjoyed by many. 

She was a Realtor for Scaderpane Realty in Millerton and one of her proudest accomplishments was founding and operating Thriftique, a thrift shop in Millerton from which she donated all the proceeds to the Astor Head Start-Millerton Day Care. 

She was a longtime parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Amenia and in her spare time volunteered with the North East Historical Society. 

She will be dearly missed by her loving family and her many friends throughout the village.

Marian is survived by her loving son, Michael C. Smith and his wife, Cindy Dietter-Smith, of Millerton; her dear brother, Jim McElroy and his wife, Bobbie, of Hoschton, Ga.; her devoted grandchildren, Christopher S. Najdek and his girlfriend, Heather Farr, Jennifer M. Najdek, Donald P. Najdek and Dustin C. Smith and his girlfriend, Erin Gannon; her great-grandchildren, Lindsey, Emiley and Lily Najdek and their mother, Renee, Spencer and Hannah Parks and their father, Jamie Parks, and Allegra and Nikka Najdek and their mother, Kamilla; and Wilma Vigano, a foreign exchange student who became her “second daughter. 

In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her beloved daughter Mariley Smith Najdek in 2014.

There are no calling hours due to the pandemic. Graveside services and burial will take place at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton in 2021 and will be announced in The Millerton News and on the funeral home website in the future. The Rev. Robert K. Wilson will officiate. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the North East Historical Society, P.O. Box 727, Millerton, NY 12546; or Astor Head Start-Millerton Day Care, 11 Park St., Millerton, NY 12546. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home in Millerton. 

To send an online condolence, send flowers or plant a tree in Marian’s memory, go to www.conklinfuneralhome.com.