Marilyn Agnes Smith

Marilyn Agnes Smith, age 93, of Waseca, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Lakeshore Inn Nursing Home.

Born on December 22, 1931, the daughter of Anton and Genevieve (Wimmer) Pogreba, Marilyn’s childhood in Grand Rapids was full of friends, adventures, and top-tier piano instruction. In 1949, she graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Waseca. She continued her education at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, where she studied music for three years. On June 16, 1952, she married her high school sweetheart, Robert Howard Smith, at Sacred Heart Church in Waseca.

Marilyn and Bob enjoyed dancing, fishing, golfing, traveling, and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Together they created a home that welcomed warm family gatherings and many happy memories. Marilyn taught piano to 84 students over a 30-year period. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother, volunteered with Meals On Wheels for 14 years, and taught adult literacy. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters since 1953, and a member of Sacred Heart Church, where she played the organ and accompanied the choir on the piano for over 50 years. Marilyn enjoyed gardening, canning, card clubs, women’s circles, cooking, baking, concerts, swimming, bird watching, needlepoint, letter-writing, and her daily walks around the lake. She enthusiastically supported her children and grandchildren in their artistic and athletic endeavors. A voracious reader, Marilyn was always sharing new and interesting findings with loved ones; and three generations of young minds and hearts were nurtured by Grandma Pokey’s cozy bedtime stories.

Marilyn was intelligent, thoughtful, kind, joyful, classy, grateful, exceptionally gifted in music, genuinely interested in others, and a delight to her many good friends. She is survived by her children: Jeffrey (Marva) Smith of Gillette, Wyoming; Stephen (Dee Ann) Smith of Sandpoint, Idaho; Gen Smith of Rochester; Brian (Anne) Smith of Cheyenne, Wyoming; Joel (Hollie) Smith of Mankato; Mary Bosacker of Eden Prairie; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at the State Street Chapel of Dennis Steffel Omtvedt Funeral Home in Waseca on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 4:00-7:00 pm, with a funeral service at Sacred Heart Church in Waseca on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 1:00 pm. 

Flowers may be sent to the funeral home; or in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.