Nellie K. (Brass) Smith, 96, of Sargent died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. Nellie, was born Nov. 4, 1915, west of Comstock as the seventh child of eleven, to Albert "Bert" and Edith (Joslyn) Brass.

Nellie married Steve David Smith Feb. 14, 1939.

Survivors are daughter, Kay Sandoz, and husband, Dave, of Valentine; son, Al Smith, and wife, Ruth, of Sargent; Jerry Grause, who made his home with the Smiths for several years, and his wife, Dolly, of Sargent; eight grandchildren, Cami Eynetich, Kayla Hunt, Kent Sandoz, Amy Kozeal, Matt Sandoz, Jill Davis, Steve Smith and Nate Smith; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Nellie moved with her family to Sargent when she was 4 years old and received her formal schooling in the Sargent Public Schools. Nellie graduated from Sargent High School with the class of 1935.

The couple made their home near Sargent for the first years of their marriage and later moved to the farm north of Sargent, where they raised their two children.

Nellie was a member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Sargent.

Nellie enjoyed playing cards and was truly blessed to have special friends who cared for her and saw that she was able to play cards every week. She loved Nebraska football and volleyball and could be heard yelling when things weren't going well.

Her greatest joy was her family and she was always ready to attend her great-grandchildren's games and school events. Nellie was blessed with good heatlh and a great memory for her 96 years. She was able to live in her own home and remained very independent except for the last six weeks after a fall.

Nellie was preceded in death by her parents; husband Steve who died in 1970; sisters Evalin Brass and Meleda Buckbee; brothers Robert, Garold, Edwin, Loren "Ornie", Wendell "Bud", Albert and Orson "Jack" Brass.

Burial was in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Sargent, NE.

Published in The Grand Island Independent on December 18, 2011