Lillie and Dennie Smith on their wedding day in 1970.
Dennie and Lillie Smith celebrated 50 years of marriage on Dec.19, 2020. They were married in Milan, Ohio, the area where both grew up. Dennie had spent 3 ½ years in the U.S. Navy prior to meeting the love of his life. One month after the wedding, they moved with the entire Hintz family to Winthrop, where Jess and Frances Hintz served as pastor at Mazama Community church and director of Mazama Bible Camp for 27 years. Dennie and Lillie also served in the church and camp as assistant pastor, Sunday school teacher, camp director and counselor for those years.
Dennie and Lillie became very involved in the Christian school at Cascade Bible Church in 1979, and still serve there. They raised their six children in the Methow Valley, where they are very involved: Frances and Ken Doran, with Konnor and Elanna; Matthew and Angelia Smith, with Vanessa, Courtney, her daughter Rylie, and Isaak; Joanne and Mitchell Blackledge, with Kaiden; Jeremiah and Jennifer Smith, with Ellecia and Gwenn; Melissa and Ray Schade, with Ava and Desmond; and Joshua Smith. That is 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Their family is the joy of their life.
Dennie has worked for the State Game Department, U.S. Forest Service, and Freestone Inn. Lillie has been a classroom supervisor at the Christian School for 35 years, and enjoys spinning, weaving, knitting and other handcrafts. They have loved living in the Methow Valley, enjoying what it has to offer raising a family. The beauty and their friends have fulfilled their lives. They will tell you the best decision they ever made was accepting Jesus Christ to be their personal savior and being in His service together for 50 years.
Their children hope to have a gathering to celebrate when social activities open up in the future.
