Leola Mae Smith

Leola Mae (Chappell) Smith was born on December 23,1931 to Shirl and Martha Chappell near Bolivar, MO.  

At age 4, the family moved to Ventura, California. Leola attended her first years of school in California, then the family returned to Missouri where she attended her remaining school years in the town of Halfway. She attended 2 terms at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar.  

In 1951, she married Bobby D. Smith of Bolivar and relocated to Kansas City, MO. To this union were born 2 daughters; Ginger Arlene and Shelley Suzan.  

After her husband’s death in 1996, she met Len Knecht in 2001 and for the last 25 years were loving companions and shared homes in Blue Springs, MO and Phoenix, AZ.  

She was a reborn Christian and was baptized on December 17th in the Pomme De Terre River and was a lifelong member of Rockwood Baptist church.  

Her first job was at the telephone company, then she later worked for Victor Ross Real Estate for over 20 years. After that, she was an Insurance Underwriter for State Farm for 25 years. After retiring she was a tenacious salesperson of garage sales, earning the nickname “Garage Sale Granny".  

She loved her family with all her heart, was so proud of them, and never missed an opportunity to brag on them. Between her brothers and sisters-in-law living on the same block, plus her children and tons of nieces and nephews, she always loved the Friday night fish fries, giant family get-togethers and Christmases.  

Proceeding her in death are her grandparents, John & Beulah Brown, Charles & Lucy Chappell; her parents, Shirl and Martha Chappell; her husband, Bobby D Smith; and her daughter, Ginger Howell.  

She is survived by her daughter, Shelley Kreisler and partner Summer; her 6 grandchildren, Melissa Braile, Melinda Shawver, Ryan Kreisler (Amy), Erica Schadegg (Michael), Megan Boyer (Mark), Brent Kreisler (Holly); her 10 great-grandchildren, Anthony, Phillip (Alisa), Brandon (Kryslen) and Trenton (Haylei) Braile, Ryan and Ginger Shawver, Jaxon Schadegg, Max and Monte Weigle, Peyton Reid, and Alexis and Fritz Kreisler. She was honored to be a great great-grandmother to Bennet, Brooks, Baylor, Hensley, Jett, and Delaney.  

She will be laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar, MO.