Clara Marie Smith, 98

Clara M Smith, a longtime resident of Coeur d’Alene, was called home by her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, to join her soulmate Don in Heaven. Clara was born March 16, 1925, in Dickinson, N.D., the 11th of 14 children, to John and Barbara (Wolfe) Froehlich.  

Clara’s early childhood was spent on the family farm helping raise turkeys with her sisters. The family eventually moved to Salem, Ore., for a short time and then on to Coeur d’Alene, where Clara resumed her schooling and graduated from high school in 1943. Upon Don’s discharge from the Navy, they were married and began their wonderful life journey. 

Clara worked at many local grocery stores including McEuens IGA which was owned and operated by Don’s aunt May and uncle Virgil McEuen. Clara finished her grocery career as a checker in 1982, retiring from Rosauers after 25 years. 

As a homemaker, Clara was best known and loved for her wonderful pasta dishes and desserts. Don always called her his “pie lady” for her wonderful art of making “melt-in-your-mouth” pies. Clara loved the outdoors and her camping and fishing trips up the Coeur d’Alene River and many trips to Kootenai Lake for ling. After retiring, Clara and Don enjoyed traveling in their motorhome to Arizona and visiting her childhood farm and friends in North Dakota. Special trips were made to Dickinson, just to buy and bring home the good old German sausage that tasted like what her dad used to make. 

She had a wonderful and fulfilling life and has made so many memories for us. We will always cherish the time we had to spend with her as a friend and a very special mom.  

Clara was preceded in death by her parents, John and Barbara Froehlich; beloved husband, Don; seven brothers and six sisters. Clara is survived by her loving daughter, Diane Burnham; son, Wayne; and Clara’s very special friend, Sandy Martello, whom she fondly called her other daughter.

A funeral service for Clara will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, at Yates Funeral Home — Coeur d’Alene Chapel, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 with a graveside following at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. 

Please visit Clara’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.