Lura Elaine (Hallett) Smith

Lura Elaine Smith (née Hallett) passed away peacefully in her home in Southbury, Connecticut surrounded by her loving children on March 16, 2023. Born on February 26, 1928 to E. Bruce and Clara Hallett, Lura was raised in Maplewood, New Jersey. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend. She was instantly recognizable with her broad and beaming smile and a belly laugh that could be heard from two rooms away. Always gracious and kind, she greeted everyone with the same exuberant spirit of joy. She was predeceased by her older siblings Janice Weisblat and Bruce Hallett, whom she adored and idolized. She was also predeceased by her beloved husband of 50 years, David M. Smith.

Dave and Lura married in 1953. They shared a deep desire to create a big and bustling family, and in this ambition they succeeded wildly. She is survived by her six children: David (Mardi), Deborah, Patricia (Ken), Scott (Lydia) Jennifer (Mark), and Bruce (Kate), thirteen grandchildren (Kyra, Brandon, Tim, Kate, Sam, Adam, Grace, Theresa, Melissa, Michael, Murphy, Emerson, and Owen) and five great grandchildren (Evan, Isaac, Malia, Elijah, and Lennox). She doted upon all of her grandchildren and took great pride in her right as their Nana to spoil them. She mourned the loss of her dear daughter-in-law Pamela and granddaughter Chandra too early.

Lura loved to sing and was blessed with a beautiful voice, which she offered as part of the choir at Christ Church in Summit, New Jersey, where she and Dave lived for 34 years. She was a person of deep faith and served the Church in innumerable ways. She also performed with the Summit Chorale, and in musicals and operas. She was an able seamstress, making costumes for productions at the Summit Playhouse, and a fine cook, known especially for the delicacy of her pie crust. A 1950 graduate of Middlebury College, Lura returned to school for a Masters of Divinity from Drew University in 1977 and afterward worked in social ministries where her warmth could shine.

In her last years, she was cared for at home by her eldest daughter Deborah, with the assistance of Deb’s daughter Kate. All her brothers and sisters express the deepest gratitude for their love, generosity, and sacrifice which made this closing chapter of Lura’s life one of glowing kindness. Among her survivors is her beloved beagle Ellie Belly, the last of more than a dozen animals she provided a home for in her life.

A service celebrating the life of Lura Smith will take place at Christ’s Church, 2 Rectory Street, Rye, New York on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 1:00 pm. Lura asks that in lieu of flowers, friends and loved ones make a gift to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the American Cancer Society. Munson Lovetere Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements. To leave an online condolence please visit www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lura Elaine (Hallett) Smith, please visit our floral store.