Individual Details
Virginia Dodd
(30 Jun 1911 - 23 Jan 2006)
Events
| Birth | 30 Jun 1911 | Randolph, Fremont, Iowa | |||
| Marriage | 27 Aug 1931 | Shenandoah, Page, Iowa - Haven Norris Smith |  |  | |
| Death | 23 Jan 2006 | Sun City, Maricopa, Arizona | | ||
| Obituary | 19 Feb 2006 | Arizona Republic - Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona | | | |
| Burial | Rose Hill Cemetery, Shenandoah, Page, Iowa | |
Families
| Spouse | Haven Norris Smith (1909 - 1997) |
| Father | Clifton Clark Dodd ( - ) |
| Mother | Erville Reeves ( - ) |
Notes
Marriage
They were married by Rev. J. McKenzie. Witnesses to the ceremony were J. Paul McKenzie and Jean Whitney.Obituary
Virigina Dodd Smith, the only woman from Nebraska ever elected to a full term in the U.S. Congress, died Monday, January 23, 2006, in Sun City West, at the age of 94. She was born in Fremont County, Iowa. After graduating from Shenandoah High School, as Valedictorian of her class, she attended the University of Nebraska. It was there that she met Haven Smith, her husband of 66 years. They moved to Chappell NE where they became involved in wheat farming, and eventually became involved in the NE Farm Bureau Federation. Virginia was on the Board of the Federation and Chairman of the International Farm Bureau Women. In 1973, at the age of 64, Virginia decided to run for Congress. She won that election so "Mr and Mrs. Smith went to Washington" and represented Nebraska's Third Congressional District until 1991, when she and Haven moved to Sun City West, AZ. In SCW she led a drive to get the first Post Office, was a Rotary club member, was influential in getting the Cath Lab built, served on the Del Webb Board, loved going to the "Nebraska Breakfasts" and was a amember of Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church. Education was very important to the Smith's, so she and Haven created a scholarship fund for High School graduates from Nebraska's Third District. She was preceded in death by Haven in 1997. Virginia's funeral services were held in her beloved town of Chappell, on January 27, at Chappell United Methodist Church. Her friend and minister Rev. Harun Gatobu led the celebration of her life. She was laid to rest beside her "dear, dear Haven" in Shenandoah, Iowa. There was also a Memorial Service for her on January 30, at her Church in SCW. She loved and was loved by everyone she met. In her passing "we lost a treasure like no other". We miss her, BUT the person she was, the ideals she stood for, the contributions she made, the educations she gave, and the friendships she shared will never ever be forgotten.Endnotes
1. "Iowa Marriage Records, 1880-1940," Ancestry.com, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 October 2018), digital image, "Return of Marriage to Clerk of District Court," Certificate No. 73-09762; Iowa Department of Health; Record Group 048; State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa.
2. "Virginia Dodd Smith," obituary, Arizona Republic, 19 February 2006, p. B9, col. 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 October 2018).
3. "Virginia Dodd Smith," obituary, Arizona Republic, 19 February 2006, p. B9, col. 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 October 2018).
4. Ancestry.com, Find-A-Grave, database with digital images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 October 2018), Memorial No. 123353544.