Lorena Ruth Smith, 79, of Monticello, passed away and went to heaven on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 after a brave and hard-fought battle with cancer.. All services will be held at Mackey-Wright Funeral Home in Monticello, IL. Visitation will be held on Friday, June 22, 2012 from 5:00-8:00 p.m., and the funeral service Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Bement Township Cemetery, Bement, IL. Lorena was born January 18, 1933, in Covell, IL, to J.R. and Ruth Naomi Karnes. She grew up on a farm as a child but after high school lived in Bement for 3 months and Monticello for over 57 years. She worked as a waitress for about 4 years but most of her career she worked for 39 years at General Cable Corporation of Monticello. Her and her husband shared the same home for 57 years in Monticello. Lorena is survived by her husband Kenneth Lloyd Smith of Monticello; daughter Dianna (Jim) Clark of Monticello; son Kenneth Dale Smith of Savoy, sister Freida Yeakley of Decatur, brothers Russell (Betty) Karnes of Monticello, Stanley (Reta) Karnes of Monticello, Joe (Opal) Karnes of Paradise, CA, Ivan (Elaine) Karnes of St. Elmo, Elbert Karnes of Beecher City, Donald Karnes of Shelbyville, Owen Karnes of Brownstown, IL, Irvin Karnes of Tower Hill, and Danny (Nancy) Karnes of Pana, IL. Other survivors include 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Lorena was preceded in death by her parents and 1 brother. Lorena liked the St. Louis Cardinals, Illini Basketball and she loved her cats. She enjoyed 18 years of square dancing with her husband, metal detecting, shopping, and loved being known as "Granny" to the grandchildren. Lorena was always one who found joy in helping others. She was known as a loving person who gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. She was satisfied with the simple things but gave the best to others. She never was one to brag about what she had but was the kind of person who would ask what someone else needed. In the last 6 months of her life she received over 275 get well cards and letters from friends who loved her, which was a testament of who she was to others. Words cannot describe the kind of wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister she was to her family. She was the pillar of the family. Memorials may be made to the Piatt County Animal Shelter, the Piatt County Food Pantry, or the Shiners' Crippled Children's Hospital.