It seemed like every time we would go to visit Grandma Valeria and Grandpa Ralph Smick in Independence for big events or celebrations, Aunt Martha and Uncle Allie were already and always there. I would walk into Grandma Valeria's house with a big greeting, smile and hug from Aunt Martha. She smelled so good (must have been all that Avon)... She would say "Hi Natalie...how have you been?" 

Two particular events stand out... The first one was at Robin and Tom's wedding. After the wedding, my sister Tammy and I went out to the bars in Independence with some other cousins and ended up at the Hotel Bar. We stayed out really late into the wee hours of the night. Tammy and I walked in the door at G&G's Smick's and quietly sneaked down the stairs so we would not wake Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Martha and Uncle Allie who were all asleep upstairs. Tammy and I were climbing into bed, Aunt Martha all of a sudden comes down stairs all bubbly-like and said "Tell me all about your night out at the bars."  So Tammy, Aunt Martha, and I started talking and laughing; soon Grandma Valeria comes down and the four us sat up told stories about everything. We talked and talked almost to sun-up when Aunt Martha and Grandma said we better get back upstairs before anyone knows we are missing. That was a really fun night the four of us ladies had. We laughed hard.

Another event I will never forget was when I stayed over night at Aunt Martha's in 1995 because I was flying out of Milwaukee, going to Europe for the first time to see my sister Collen in Spain and my brother Daniel in Germany. Her house was the closet to the airport...Aunt Martha and I went out to dinner, she took me to the airport the next day and picked me up from the airport two weeks later. I was in shock how well she could maneuver around all the heavy big city traffic so well. She was zipping in and out of lanes and whizzing around without a problem at all. I left my car at her house, safe and sound. Again, the night I stayed at Aunt Martha's we talked and laughed for several hours and yes we even talked about the night I described above. 

I always loved seeing Aunt Martha and spending time with her. I am so glad that I got to see her a few years ago in August 2013; she looked beautiful and was her cheery self as usual. She still is a beautiful woman! Thank you Aunt Martha for always smiling and making me laugh wherever we were together. xoxoxox. Much love and hugs.  --Natalie Smick Timms (Myrtle Beach, SC)