Cynthia L. (Giles) Smith

Obituary of Cynthia L. “Cindy” (Giles) Smith

Cynthia Louise (Giles) Smith was born on April 14, 1948, to George and Marylouise (Hanna) Giles, in Ainsworth, NE. Cindy grew up with her parents and grandparents, Charles and Astrid (Stav) Giles, on the family ranch at Elsmere, NE, and attended elementary and junior high school at Elsmere District 101 school and in 1966 she graduated from Ainsworth High School. The friendships that Cindy made in school, college, and work, lasted her entire lifetime. 

Cindy went on to obtain her teaching degree at Kearney State College, and shortly after graduating in December 1969, she married her sweetheart, Malcolm Stephenson Smith in Ainsworth on Valentine’s Day in 1970. From this union, Malcolm and Cindy had four children: George, Elizabeth, Sarah and Chester. Cindy cherished their children and their spouses, but most especially their grandchildren: the pure joy she received from spending time with Jay, Lynn, Libby, Charlie, William, and Josie Smith was clearly visible. In February 2020, and luckily just prior to the Covid pandemic outbreak, Malcolm and Cindy celebrated 50 years of marriage with their family and friends.

Cindy was a member of 4-H, Jobs Daughters, Eastern Star, and the United Methodist Church and Methodist Women’s Group. She was a lifelong avid reader and spent much of her time passing along her love of reading to her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and more likely than not, even random strangers. Cindy also cataloged and organized the Methodist Church library because she enjoyed the work, and although her family was not aware of this until after she had passed, it was not a surprise. If she wasn’t at home or enjoying travels with her husband and close friends, Cindy was more than likely at her grandkids’ events, the Ainsworth Public Library, the Methodist Church, or she and Malcolm were enjoying a bag of popcorn and a movie at the Ainsworth Theater. Cindy believed in supporting her local community businesses, and her charitable acts were numerous and some probably still unknown to her family.

For most of her life, Cindy was an incredibly tough silent warrior in battling a handful of sometimes severe, debilitating, and rare auto-immune diseases, among other serious ailments. Despite all the pain and discomfort she inevitably endured, Cindy’s faith in God seemingly never wavered, and if anything, appeared to grow stronger with each physical setback. Regardless of her own struggles, there were few if any events that she missed of her own kids, for which she spent countless hours driving them to music lessons, practices, games, concerts, etc., and then she did it for her grandkids, solely because she loved watching them and being near them. 

Cindy was one of the most self-sacrificing individuals that we were blessed to have known - she gave more than she received, and continually demonstrated unconditional love, patience, and forgiveness. She believed in the power of prayer and prayed for everyone, including animals, and although we wanted more time to cherish Cindy as she did all of us, on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Burwell, NE, Cynthia earned her angelic wings and was given the gift of eternal life: well done Cindy. 

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents; cousins, Mike Giles and Karen (Giles) Nance; sister-in-law, Terry (Smith) Trego; and brother-in-law, Chuck Penington, along with her aunts and uncles. She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, Malcolm of Ainsworth; four children, George (Kim) Smith of Purdum, Elizabeth (Justin)Berkland of Lincoln, NE, Sarah Smith of Rock Springs, WY and Chester (Andra) Smith of Elsmere; her six grandchildren, Jay Smith and Lynn Smith of Omaha, NE, Elizabeth “Libby” Smith of Kearney, NE, and Charlie, William, and Josie Smith all of Elsmere. She is also survived by her sister: Alyce Ann (Giles) Clasen of Hot Springs, SD; sister-in-law, Allegra (Smith) Penington of Lincoln; brother-in-law, Gary Trego of North Platte, NE; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and their family members.

 A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the Ainsworth United Methodist Church with Reverend Michael W. Eurit officiating at the event. Music was provided by Sherry Campbell playing “Amazing Grace,” “In The Garden” and “How Great Thou Art.” The CD Selection “Well Done” by The Afters was played. A Private Family Inurnment will be held at a later date in the Giles Cemetery at Elsmere. Memorials were suggested to the Ainsworth Public Library or to the United Methodist Church in Cindy’s name. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth was in charge of arrangements and online condolences may by left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.