The funeral service for Viola Mary Smith of the Good Samaritan Center, Albert Lea, will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Greg Ciesluk will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church.

Viola Smith died March 5, 2003, at the Good Samaritan Center in Albert Lea at the age of 106 years old.

She was born on June 13, 1896, in Canton, Ill., the daughter of Casper and Mary Shuler. At the age of 8 years old, her family moved to Tama County, Iowa, (1904) where Viola finished her schooling, then helped on the family farm. It was said that she could drive and work a pair of horses better than any man.

Viola met and married her life’s mate, David S. Smith, on Feb. 7, 1917, at Tama, Iowa. They farmed hand in hand as a team near Tama until 1922 when they packed their worldly possessions on the train and moved to Minnesota. They farmed near Lerdal Township until 1949 when they retired and moved to Albert Lea In 1957, they came out of retirement to farm again.

Viola has lived in Albert Lea from 1973 until the present time. She was an avid gardener; world’s best cook, and took pride in working side by side with her husband David. Her favorite saying was &uot;I was born tired and never got over it.&uot; She was an angel on earth.

Viola and David through their union had two sons who died in infancy. They opened their hearts and adopted a son, Earl W. Smith, who preceded her in death.

Survivors include two sisters: Florence Anderson of Toledo, Iowa, and Myrtle Anderson of Tama, Iowa; brother, Clifford Shuler of Tama, Iowa; daughter-in-law, Evelyn Smith of Albert Lea; grandchildren: Duane Smith of Clarks Grove, David Smith of Forest City, Iowa, Marjorie Stephenson of Montgomery, Ala., and Rick Smith of Austin; 11 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and five great-great-great-grandchildren.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Earl; and brother, Bill Shuler.