Alta Elaine Morrill Smith

NORWAY – Alta Elaine Morrill Smith, 92, of Albany Township died Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Norway Center for Health and Rehabilitation peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

She was born on March 10, 1932, to Guy and Grace Clough Morrill on a farm in Mason Township. She had many animals that she attended to throughout her youth helping her dad Guy and sister Betty run the daily operations. She was educated in Mason Township and Bethel schools. She grew up with two sisters Phyllis Morrill Lapham Bancroft of Albany Township and later of South Paris and Elizabeth (Betty) Morrill Gilbert of Bethel. She lost her baby sister Christine Morrill at birth.

Alta married Bruce E. Smith of East Stoneham on Dec. 4, 1950. They were married for 49 years until Bruce’s passing in 1999. They had four children together; Elaine Johnson of Oxford, Bruce Smith, Jr. and his wife Brenda of Winterport, Russell Smith and his late wife Linda of Oxford and Lisa and her husband Dale F. Allen III of Norway.

She worked 40 years in local shoe shops in Norway and Bridgton until her retirement. Even after retirement she always continued to keep very busy by working at Evergreen Valley and other places as a housekeeper. That is where she met her special longtime companion Ronald (Duke) Meserve of South Paris. Alta also enjoyed working at the Fryeburg Fair in food establishments right up until a few years ago. On many given days you could find her outside working in her beautiful vegetable and flower gardens or mowing lawns over the years. She took great pride in her gardens and had many people who came to see them. She also sold flowers to ones that loved them and her small business was known as the Albany Gypsy.

She had a love for traveling by car, bus, or plane. She had traveled to many of the Eastern U.S. states and Maritime provinces. She loved to dance her entire life. Alta started as a young girl traveling to many different dance halls with her parents Guy and Grace and this continued until recently. She also enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, fairs, parades, feeding the birds, and always keeping busy. She had met many wonderful people throughout her lifetime she called friends.

She had nine grandchildren; Jill Mason of Mass., Harley Johnson Jr. of Maine, Jessica Smith Davis of New York, Laura Smith Parker of Maine, Denise Martin Keating of New Hampshire, Bernard Martin of Maine, Danielle Allen Morey of Maine, Dylan H. Allen of Maine, and Dante J. Allen of Maine; and 11 great- grandchildren Zachary Levine, Jacob Levine, Ariel Levine, Kasey Johnson, Alexander Davis, Nathaniel Davis, Kylee Parker, Bryanna Parker, Brianna Bushey, Hunter Bushey, and Beckett Morey.

She is predeceased by her parents; her husband; and three sisters.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, September 13, 2024 from 6-8 p.m., at Chandler Funeral Home, 45 Main St., South Paris. A graveside service will be held Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 12 p.m., noon at Hillside Cemetery Main Road, East Stoneham. All friends and family are welcome to attend all the services. Online condolences may be shared with her family at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com.