Montezuma - Pearl Yost Smith was born to Jacob N. and Carrie (Schmidt) Yost on January 7, 1924 at Copeland, Kansas.  She departed this life on April 21, 2023 at the Bethel Home, Montezuma, Kansas, reaching the age of 99 years.

Mom's early childhood was spent in the Copeland community where she also received her formal education.  At the age of seventeen she, together with her parents, moved to the Burns, Kansas area.  Also at age seventeen, Mom responded to God's call,  repented of her sins and received peace with God.  On September 7, 1941, she was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.  To those vows, she remained faithful unto the end.

Two years later, at the age of nineteen, she was married to Eldon Smith at Burns, Kansas.  It was at Burns that we three children were welcomed into their home with open arms and hearts of love; first Elwood and five years later, Cheleen and Joe.

In 1961, Dad was ordained to the office of the Deaconry.  Mom was a faithful supporter of Dad in his work as a Deacon.  They faithfully served both God and the Church throughout their lives together, in the foreign mission, various CPS units, and in new congregations.   In 1976, they took their family and moved to a congregation beginning at West Point, Mississippi.  In 1989, they moved to Texline, Texas.

Mom was a faithful homemaker, sharing her gift of hospitality with all who entered her home.  Even after Dad left her side, leaving her a lonely widow, she continued to open her home to guests, often for Sunday dinner.

Mom lived for nearly a century.  In this time she saw many changes, from living with no electricity or running water to the modern cell phone age. Throughout these changing scenes of life she continued to hold to conservative, simple principles and values, being content with the simpler things of life.

She is survived by two sons, Elwood and Kathy of Texline, Texas and Joe and Berneil, of West Point, Mississippi; one daughter Cheleen and Gary Becker of Burns, Kansas;  eleven grandchildren, thirty-seven great grandchildren;  one brother, Conrad Yost of Iroquois, South Dakota; two sisters-in-law, Virginia Yost, McPherson, Kansas; and Loretta Yost, DeSmet, South Dakota; and a special great niece, Andrea Koehn, of Copeland, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon; her parents, six brothers, four sisters, and one granddaughter.

Funeral service will be held at Texline Mennonite Church, Texline, Texas on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 10:30 AM.  Burial will follow at Texline Mennonite Cemetery.  Visitation will be at the church on Sunday, April 23, 2023 starting at 7:00 PM.  Memorials are suggested to Bethel Home in care of Swaim Funeral Chapel-PO Box 421-Montezuma, Kansas 67867.  Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.