WODEN - Pearl L. Smith, 91, of Woden died Monday (December 12, 2011) at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Saturday, December 17th at the United Methodist Church in Buffalo Center with Rev. Deb Devine officiating. Burial will be in Bingham Township Cemetery in Woden.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 P.M., Friday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Woden and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Pearl Lillian Smith, the daughter of Carl and Sena (Sabin) Tollagson, was born September 28, 1920 on a farm near Buffalo Center. She attended rural school and graduated from Buffalo Center High School in 1938. On April 1, 1938 she was married to Elmer Smith in Forest City. They lived in Woden all of their married life except when Elmer was in the service. Pearl was employed at the post office in Woden as Post Master for fourteen years and then as a rural route carrier for sixteen years, retiring in 1979. She was instrumental in helping build the Woden Post Office in 1960. In their retirement Pearl and Smitty spent their winters in Texas for many years. Pearl enjoyed card playing, visiting with friends and baking.

She was a member of the Buffalo Center United Methodist Church, was a former member of the United Methodist Church in Woden and belonged to the Woden American Legion Auxiliary.

Pearl is survived by nephews, Dennis (Joanne) Lunning of Woden, Wayne (Jeanne) Tollagson of Crystal Lake and David (Ila) Tollagson of Kiester, MN; and nieces, Cheryl Hayes of Clarissa, MN, Sharon Vrieze of Moore, SC, and Phyllis Hauen of Thompson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Elmer, Jan. 16, 2003; a sister, Edna Lunning; and six brothers, Clarence, Elmer, Joseph, Melvin, Clifford and Leonard Tollagson. ... Read More