Della Smith

Della Rieger Smith passed from this life into paradise on June 14, 2018 with family members around her.  She had recently celebrated her 92nd birthday.

On May 26, 1926, Della Faye Littlefield was born in Cherokee, Oklahoma, the youngest of five children in the Hal and Minnie Littlefield family.  Her siblings were Warren, Lela, Verl and Hallie.  The family farm was south of Driftwood and the Littlefield children all attended school at Driftwood School. Della graduated in 1944 along with six other seniors.

Della married Howard Rieger of Burlington on June 4, 1944.  In 1945 he was drafted into the army and stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.  After Howard’s discharge, the Riegers moved back to Burlington where Della was a homemaker and Howard operated the lumber yard and built homes.  In 1954 they moved the family to Miami, Oklahoma to operate a motel, returning to Burlington in 1956.  While in Burlington Howard built homes in and around the area.  Della painted and finished the woodwork on the homes he built while juggling four active children and a career selling Avon products.  Howard and Della both accepted Christ as their Savior during a revival meeting.  They were charter members of the Driftwood Christian Church and cherished the fellowship and community.

Della and Howard moved to Bentonville, Arkansas in 1979 where Howard hoped to embark on a career in real estate.  God took the family in a different direction.  After Howard’s death in 1980, Della was presented with an opportunity to join a new family and began working in the fabric department of the first Walmart in Bentonville.  She became a member of the Bella Vista Christian Church and enjoyed many get-togethers with the members.  Della relocated to Enid in 1988 and continued to work for Walmart until her retirement in 1997.  Walmart was more than a job to Della. It was at Walmart that she met, and later married, former Alfalfa County Sheriff, George Smith.  George and Della lived in Enid for a number of years and she became member of the Oakwood Christian Church, where she continued to worship through 2017.  George died in 1993.

Della is survived by her four children, Rennea Henn of Claremore, Ronda (Phil) Palmer of Tulsa, Rod (Peggy) Rieger of Protection, Kansas and Ryan (Michelle) Rieger of Dallas, Texas; nine grandchildren; eighteen great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by one grandson, Todd Hill; her husbands and four siblings.  She will certainly be missed by all who knew her.

A celebration of Della’s life will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at  Driftwood Christian Church north of Cherokee.  Burial will be in the Apostolic Cemetery near Burlington with arrangements by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Cherokee.  www.lanmanmemorials.com  Facebook:  Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Circle of Love through the funeral home.