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Ethel Mae Smith

July 3, 1931 - April 9, 2025

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Visitation
Krause Funeral Home Brown Deer
7001 West Brown Deer Road
Milwaukee, WI 53223
Thursday 4/24, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
In Loving Memory of Ethel Mae (Young) Smith
Time stands still in that sacred space between life and death—a stillness, a pause, a gentle release into a deep sleep, awaiting the resurrection into life everlasting. It is in this solemn and tender pause that our beloved Ethel Mae (Young) Smith now rests, on the other side of what once was life.
Born on July 3, 1931, in Leland, Mississippi, Ethel Mae was the cherished middle daughter of Maggie and Preston Young. Her early years were filled with rich experiences that shaped her character—she received her grammar school education and was an active member of the 4-H Club and other civic organizations. Alongside her family, she participated in agricultural work, cultivating both the land and the domestic skills she would carry into her adult life.
She married Eddie Lee Smith, a naval private from Sunflower, Mississippi, and together they built a legacy of love and resilience, welcoming eleven children: Susan, Mamie, Samuel, Patricia, Gloria, Sharon, Rose Marie, Shelia, Chriselle, Eddie Lee Jr., and Michael. In 1951, after the birth of Mamie, Ethel moved to Wisconsin, where the family continued to grow and thrive.
A deeply spiritual woman, Ethel sang in the choir at New Birth Baptist Church until she felt a divine calling to explore a deeper spiritual path. She began studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses and, through faith and dedication, committed her life to serving as a faithful witness. Her steadfast devotion inspired many to walk in faith and embrace the hope of eternal life.
Ethel Mae Smith leaves behind a profound legacy of faith, family, and love—survived by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and bonus daughter and caregiver Jacqueline Ilboudo. To her, we say with reverence and love:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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Visitation
Krause Funeral Home Brown Deer
7001 West Brown Deer Road
Milwaukee, WI 53223
Map
Thursday 4/24, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

In Loving Memory of Ethel Mae (Young) Smith Time stands still in that sacred space between life and death—a stillness, a pause, a gentle release into a deep sleep, awaiting the resurrection into life everlasting. It is in this solemn and tender pause that our beloved Ethel Mae (Young) Smith now rests, on the otherContinue Reading

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