By Evalin Hester
Paralee Price Smith retired Friday, July 31, after 15 years of service at Park Place. Before going to work at Park Place she worked 27 1/2 years at the DeQuincy Elementary School as a Tutor. She was married to Samuel “Sam” Smith, Sr., for 50 1/2 years. They had two sons, the late Samuel J. Smith, Jr. “Dude” and Charles Prentiss Smith, Sr. “Charlie”. She has four grandchildren, Chase Smith, Jr., Little Samuel J. Smith, III, William Gregory Smith and one granddaughter, Claire Yvette Smith Crochet; one daughter-in-law, Jill Smith; one grandson-in-law, Noah Crochet; two grand-daughter-in-laws, Megan Smith and Alyssa Smith; four great-grandchildren, Matilda, Margot, Chase (Trip), Joe and one on the way.
It was a bitter sweet retirement from Park Place, because Smith will miss all her tenants. She said, “They all have become like family and for this I will forever have a place in my heart for each one. This is the hardest part of retirement, not hearing from them on a daily basis.
Not only did she retire from Park Place, her two nieces, Cathy Kurth and Caren Shaheen and other family members and friends surprised her with an 80th birthday party at the DeQuincy Railroad Museum on Sunday, Aug. 2. Her birthday is today, Aug. 5. Her two nieces opened the birthday party with a dance number “Sisters”, which they performed for her. The birthday party was a big surprise for her.
Smith will be doing some traveling with family and friends and just enjoying life, along with all of her great-grandchildren.
