Coral E. Smith

Coral Emily (Caldwell) Smith, 96, went to be with the Lord on October 27, 2022. She resided at Vonderleith Living Center, Mt. Pulaski, for the past 3 ½ years.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM on Friday, November 4, 2022 at Kibler Brady Ruestman Memorial Home, Bloomington. Her funeral will be held at 10:30 AM on November 5, 2022 at Kibler Brady Ruestman Memorial Home. Pastor Rick Wagner will officiate. Coral will be interned at Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. Memorials may be made to the Evangelical Free Church of Bloomington or Vonderleith Foundation of Mt. Pulaski.

Coral was born at home on January 31, 1926 in Houston, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Arthur and Sara Caldwell. She grew up in Houston along with her late siblings, Mark Caldwell, Grace Hanna and Jesse Caldwell. She graduated from Chartier’s Township High School. Coral went on to study at Sterling College in Kansas where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry on May 1947.

Coral married Benjamin Smith (deceased 2005) of Cutler, Illinois on August 12, 1947. Together they had three daughters Anita (Tim) Daniels (deceased 2006) of Storm Lake, Iowa, Cindy (Rick) McVey of Decatur, IL, and Wendy (Brad) Bareither of Normal, IL. She worked as a Histology Technologist at Carle Clinic in Urbana and at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, IL for fifteen years. Coral and Ben lived in several cities in Illinois over the course of their marriage, which unfolded for 58 years.  

She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Carrie (Jon) Dunnette, Kimberly (Jon) Thorson, Dr. Ben (Anne) Daniels, Molly (Nathan) Porter, Eric (Jessica) McVey, Aaron (Tracy) Bareither and David (Bridget) Bareither. She had 20 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Coral was a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. Her strong faith in the Lord was evident throughout her life. She loved being outside and enjoying all the beauty around her. She and Ben were long time members of Evangelical Free Church in Bloomington during their retirement years. She will be deeply missed.