Irene Katherine Smith, 96, of Columbus, Nebraska, died Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the Columbus Community Hospital.

The funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, July 7, at Gass Haney Funeral Home with Deacon Jim Naughtin officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM and continue Friday, from 9:30 AM until service time, all at the funeral home. Interment will be in Shelby Cemetery in Shelby, Nebraska.

Irene Katherine Smith, daughter of Frank and Marie (Korger) Gable, was born April 25, 1927 in Shelby. She was the fourth of eight children, grew up in Shelby, and received her education there, graduating from Shelby High School in 1944.

Irene was united in marriage to Lloyd Dean Smith on November 21, 1946 in Shelby. They made their first home in Rising City, Nebraska until March of 1949 then moved northeast of Shelby. A few years later they moved back to the Rising City area on a farm north of town. In 1964, the couple moved to the Gable family farm northeast of Shelby and lived there until the death of Dean on November 10, 1981. Irene moved to Columbus and worked at Columbus High cafeteria until retirement.

Irene enjoyed embroidery work and gifted her daughters and granddaughters each Christmas with a set of embroidered pillowcases and kitchen towels. She also enjoyed listening to polka music on Sunday mornings, reading, crossword puzzles, playing pitch, and watching football.

Irene is survived by:
Daughter: Sandra (Kent) Uphoff of Sun Prairie, WI
Daughter: Marlene Reinke of Columbus, NE
Son: Steven (Becky) Smith of Beatrice, NE
Seven grandchildren: Sheila (Harley) Drays of Beaver Dam, WI; Donna (John) O'Malley of Sun Prairie, WI; Dana (Sarah) Reinke of Columbus, NE; Melissa (Derek) Salak of Columbus, NE; Michael Smith of Beatrice, NE; Matthew Brommer of Beatrice, NE; Bessie Smith of Lincoln, NE
16 Great grandchildren: Laura Dwyer & Tim Drays; Brianna & Makayla O'Malley; Chris & Shelby Linden; Dylan, Devin, & Hannah Reinke; Colby, Logan, Ethan, & Avery Salak; Hayden, Hayleigh, & Brayden Smith
Sisters: Evelyn Morgan of Kimball, NE & Betty Watts of Papillion, NE
Sister-in-law: Luella Gable of Shelby, NE
Many nieces & nephews

Irene was preceded in death by:
Parents: Frank & Marie Gable
Husband: Lloyd Dean Smith
Sibling: Agnes Kuta, Helen Matya, Edward Gable, Norma Jean Volquardsen, & Donald Gable
Son-in-law: Roger Reinke
Grandchildren: Christopher Reinke & Kristina Linden