It is with great sadness that the family of Marjorie Judith Smeeth announces her passing on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at Rainycrest Home for the Aged, in Fort Frances, Ont.
Marjorie was born on December 12, 1929, along with her twin sister Violet at the Ward family home to Sidney and Florence Ward (nee Thomas). She grew up in a large family of 10 children.
She attended Alexander McKenzie School, Robert Moore School, and Fort Frances High School. Marjorie left school early to help out at home and then went to work for the town of Fort Frances as a telephone operator. After marriage she became a full time homemaker raising a family of five. Marjorie had many fond memories of growing up in the west end and had many stories to tell such as playing hide and seek in the grave yard and delivering newspapers with her dog before school.
Marjorie and Bert met at a dance being held at the Point Pavilion and were married the following spring on May 25, 1951. They shared 68 years together until Bert’s passing in 2019. They spent many happy years together with their family at the cabin on Rainy Lake. They enjoyed square dancing where they celebrated 50 years of membership and made many life-long friendships. Marjorie was a member of Knox United Church and UCW women’s group and the LaVerendrye Hospital Auxiliary.
She was predeceased by her parents Sidney and Florence Ward; in-laws Jesse and Frances Maude Smeeth; daughter Judith Carter; sons-in-law Lawrence Carter and Mike McCoy; grandson Ryan DeGagne; siblings Albert (Ollie) Ward, Stan (Millie) Ward, Olive (Ike) Eisenhauer, Gladys (Don) Kerr, Robert (Elsie) Ward, Leslie Ward, and Sidney (Joan) Ward; sisters-in-law Mildred Bolzan and Hazel Wilde; and brothers-in-law Charles Lawrence, Bill Wilde, Roy Stromberg, and Charlie Viddal.
Marjorie is survived by children Patti (Maurice) DeGagne, Don (Sylvia) Smeeth, Cathy (Randy) DeGagne, and Bev McCoy; grandchildren Justin DeGagne (Monica), Christopher DeGagne (Sherry), Rebecca Tolen (Robert), Hannah Carter (Dave), Rachel Carter (Brad), Brian McCoy (Dawn), Brendan McCoy, Matthew Smeeth, Geoffrey Smeeth (Maria), Christina Love (Darran), Joshua DeGagne (Jinnie), Sarah DeGagne (Justin), granddaughter in-law Carly DeGagne; twenty great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; twin sister Violet Lawrence; brother Don (Sybil) Ward; sister-in-law Ruth Viddal.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Knox United Church, Fort Frances with Pat Clysdale-Cornell officiating.
The honorary pallbearers will be all her grandchildren.
As per Marjorie’s wishes donations can be made to the Knox United Church Fort Frances or Rainycrest Auxiliary.
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd., Emo, Ontario.
