Lois Ozean Smith Tourtillott

Friday, June 17, 2011

Lois Ozean Smith Tourtillott, 84, of Butler, passed away Tuesday, June 14, 2011, at Bates County Memorial Hospital after suffering a severe stroke on June 4.

Lois was born May 7, 1927, at Carbon Center, the only child of Oren and Susie Smith. She graduated from Rich Hill High School, class of 1944, and was married to Denver Elroy Tourtillott on her 17th birthday, May 7, 1944, that same week.

Lois followed Elroy to Little Rock while he was in basic training. She then shared an upstairs room in Kansas City with Irene Tourtillott and worked at the Katz Drug Store Diner for a short time before moving to Illinois with Irene for the remainder of the time Elroy was overseas.

When the couple were reunited, they began their lives together in the "Little House," east of Rich Hill, near Susie and Oren Smith's. In that very small house, they had their first four children. They moved to the "Big House" in 1960 and added their fifth child.

Lois was a wonderful cook and no one ever left her table hungry. She always planted a big garden, and put up canned goods and frozen foods aplenty. She enjoyed the garden and spending time fishing with Elroy. She truly loved the outdoors. She also bowled for many years, both in women's and double's league.

Lois and Elroy retired and moved into Rich Hill in the early 1990s. There they continued to stay busy with gardening, fishing, and bowling, but added playing pool to their activities, which quickly became a daily competition complete with pages of score keeping.

In June 2004, Lois moved to Willow Lane Nursing Center in Butler, Mo., following an injury and lived there until her death.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elroy; two daughters, Debora Jackson and Janice Jones. She is survived by two daughters, Willa Sue and Danny Breckenridge, Rich Hill, and Vicki and Cliff Norris of Kansas City; one son, Leonard and Sharon Tourtillott, Rich Hill; one son-in-law, Harold and Jody Jackson, Springfield, Mo.; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are at 1 p.m., today, at the Heuser Funeral Home, Rich Hill. Visitation was held 7-8 p.m., Thursday, June 16. Interment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Rich Hill.

Contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in care of the funeral home.