Gloria M. Smith (Benbow) Brurud

Gloria M. Smith (Benbow) Brurud, 80, died April 10, 2012, in Corydon, Ind.

She was born June 23, 1931, in Minnesota to Lauren and Hollis (Johnson) Smith.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Willard Brurud; daughter, Tami Brurud; brother, Keith Smith; her parents; and step-daughter, Betty Brown.

At the age of 4, Gloria sailed with her parents and her brother, Duane, on the ship “St. Mihiel” from San Francisco to Seward with the first contingent of Alaska Colonists and arrived in Palmer May 10, 1935.

She grew up in the Butte area and graduated from Palmer High School in 1949. She lived in the area until 1970, when she moved to Montana, and then to Indiana in 2003 where she resided with her daughter, Lynne Brown.

Surviving are sons, David, Randall and Kendall Benbow of Indiana, Durward Benbow of South Dakota, Andrew Benbow of Montana and Daniel Benbow; daughters, Diane Dorsey and Lynne Brown of Indiana; stepchildren, Beverly Sakaye and Barbara Moe of Montana; brothers, Duane Smith of the Butte, Kenneth Smith of Big Lake and Douglas Smith of Montana; sister, Charlene Hammett of Washington state; 18 grandchildren; numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren; and eight nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was April 13 in the Corydon First Capital Church with the Rev. Randy Kirk presiding. Her final resting place will be in Neihart, Mont., with her husband.