Saddlebred Community Loses Longtime ASHA Member and Breeder
RELEASE: August 13, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Brice Carr
Marilyn E. Smith passed away on Friday, August 7. Smith was born May 14, 1939, in Fort Wayne, IN. For the past six years, she was the office manager at Hamilton Family Medical Center in Hamilton, IN
Smith was a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, MO, and Indiana University, and had a Master's Degree in Education. She taught second grade at Slocum Elementary School. Smith had been President of the Junior Division of the Fort Wayne Women's Club, and was the current president of the Phi Mu Fraternity-Fort Wayne Chapter. She owned The Wedding Place in Fort Wayne for 17 years. She was a member of the United Methodist Church of the Covenant-Fort Wayne.
Smith, along with her husband, Ken, and daughter, Teresa, bred, raised and showed American Saddlebreds for approximately 35 years under the tutelage of such trainers as Marty Mueller, Jim and Mike McIntosh, and more recently with Travis Higgins and Jimmy and Helen Robertson. Ken and Marilyn owned and stood the stallion Pentagon at their Cedar Creek Farm. Smtih always supported local shows, both with her horses and as a volunteer. For 10 years, she and her husband ran a local one-day show in Auburn, ID, the Classic City Charity. At this show, Saddlebreds were showcased along with other English breeds, presenting full classes of three-gaited, five-gaited and fine harness Saddlebreds, many of which had been shown at Louisville.
Smith is survived by her husband, Kenneth F. Smith, of Garrett, IN, and her daughter, Teresa L. Smith MD, of Angola, IN.