Louella C. Smith

Louella C. Smith, 94, of Coal Valley, Illinois, ascended Monday, June 2, 2025, at Celebrate of Moline.

Services are 1:00 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Grace Community Church of the Nazarene, Colona, Illinois. Burial is in Rock Island Memorial Park. Visitation is 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at Trimble Funeral Home, Coal Valley. Memorials may be made to the Community Church of the Nazarene.

The former Louella Clemons Clow was born December 14, 1930, in Rock Island, Illinois, the daughter of Edward and Louella (Randolph) Clow. She married Raymond H.D. Smith on June 24, 1950, in Macomb, Illinois. They lived in Moline, then Rock Island for 10 years before building their own house in Coal Valley in 1961.

Louella was a trailblazer for women of her generation, breaking barriers with determination. She worked as a teacher's aid, classroom floater, and volunteer driver, a teacher for Home Extension where she taught upholstery, was a census taker, various capacities at Black Hawk College, Petersons Harned Von Maur, and as a data entry clerk at the Rock Island Arsenal. She was a community voice as the Coal Valley correspondent and photographer for the Rock Island Argus newspaper. Her commitment to the Village of Coal Valley was remarkable—serving more than a decade as a Village Trustee and as Village Clerk. She was also among the first EMTs in the community and helped establish the local ambulance service.

Louella attended and volunteered at many churches before becoming a faithful member of Grace Community Church of the Nazarene, Colona, a lifelong member of the PTA, a devoted Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, a Rotarian, and an advisor for 4-H and Home Extension. A passionate gardener and proud member of the Gardener’s Club, she found great joy in tending her yard and sharing its beauty. She was also an avid Bible reader and talented seamstress. Her hands were rarely still as she was always sewing for her children or gardening and working in the yard.

She is survived by five children, Louella Heiman of Grimes, Iowa, Randy (Monica) Smith of Rock Island, Amy (Mark) McPeek of Stockton, Illinois, Jodi (Ted) Robbins of Colona, and Sara (Kristopher Wells) Smith Wells of Fayetteville, North Carolina; 18 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Marti Smith; her son, Ray Smith; brothers, Edward and Jim Clow; her son-in-law, Dennis Heiman; and her grandchildren, Peter Heiman and Jessica McPeek.

The family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.