Billie Lou (Harris) Smiley was born in Norton, Kansas on May 23, 1922, to parents, Charles and Nola Harris, and was the youngest of 5 siblings. She moved to California after graduating high school to work at Consolidated Vultee in acquisitions to build airplanes in WWII. After a car wreck in California, she moved to Kansas City and then St. Louis, where she met married Larry Finnell and moved to Florida to raise her son, Robert J. Finnell, and worked at Land Rover selling automobiles. She went on to become Vice President of Montessori Schools and was instrumental in establishing many schools along the Eastern part of the United States. She and Larry divorced. She then had an old flame from the early days of kindergarten in Norton come a'calling, Ward B. Smiley. They were quickly married and spent the next 22 years enjoying life; traveling and golfing, that ended in 1995 when Ward passed. She followed her son, Bob, to Scottsdale where she lived another full life with great neighbors and family, always the life of the party and loved by all. Her final two years were spent in Littleton, Colorado, near family. She was looking forward to having a large party and dancing at her 100th birthday.
Loved ones that preceded her in death are her husband, Ward Smiley; son, Bob Finnell; parents, Charles and Nola Harris; brother, Walter Harris; sisters, Eve Campbell, Dorothy Garrett Smiley, and Georgia Spaulding; stepson, Robert Smiley; niece Georgia Garrett; and great grandson, Noah Montano. Loved ones that will miss Billie are stepson and wife, Scott and Trish Smiley; stepdaughter-in-law, Barb Smiley; daughter-in-law, Monica Finnell; valued friend, Judy Rosenthal; five grandchildren include; nine great grandchildren; two great nieces, Kim Graber; and one great nephew.
At the age of 99, Billie passed away at Littleton Adventist Hospital. A graveside service will be held at Norton Cemetery on Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 2 pm, where she will be laid to rest near Ward Smiley. In lieu of flowers and to honor Billie's love of books, please send donations to Norton Public Library writing in Memory of Billie Smiley in the memo line of the check, at 1 Washington Square, Norton, Kansas 67654.