Naomi Evelyn Wardwell

Naomi Evelyn Smith Wardwell

Naomi Evelyn Smith Wardwell, 82, of Hamilton died on May 12, 2015 with her husband at her side and under the tender loving care of Marcus Daly Hospice. She was born at home at 2076 Agler Road, Columbus, Ohio on July 9, 1932 to Lloyd Lewis Smith and Mildred Maria (Bonner) Smith. Naomi lived at the Agler Road address until she married. She graduated from Linden McKinley High School in 1950 with honors-she was first in her class. Her daughter Kathryn and her granddaughter Sarah also were valedictorians-three generations of valedictorians! She was employed by the US Government Bureau of Internal Revenue in Columbus, Ohio until she married and then transferred to the Louisville, Kentucky office.

She married Wayne D. Wardwell, Jr. on June 8, 1952 in the Linden Church of Christ in Columbus, beginning more than 62 years of marriage-this after a courtship lasting more than four years. Wayne was a student at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Their first son, Wayne Kimberly, was born in Louisville on May 12, 1954. After graduating from seminary, Wayne served as Youth Minister at Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their daughter, Kathryn Jo (Slinker), was born in Cincinnati on November 15, 1955. The family moved west to Twin Falls, Idaho, where Wayne served as Minister of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church. In January of 1959, Wayne became the Pastor of Kirkpatrick Memorial Community Presbyterian Church in Parma, Idaho where he served for sixteen years. Their son, John Lloyd, was born on April 30, 1960 in Nyssa, Oregon.

Naomi was a stay-at-home mom for fifteen years before going to work at Sterling Insurance Agency in Parma as office manager. She was active in the Parma church and was a Cub Scout den mother and a Girl Scout leader.

When Kim and Kathy were students at the College of Idaho, Wayne became Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Montana where he served for twenty years. In all of the churches Wayne served, Naomi and Wayne were pastors together. Not only was she pastor's wife, but she was co-leader in every respect. When Janet Malone became Pastor of the Hamilton Presbyterian Church, Naomi continued her role as pastor's wife for Janet. Naomi was a Deacon there and managed the Deacon's Fund payments to people in need in Ravalli County. She proofed the church bulletin and newsletter (and sometimes even Wayne's Sunday sermon).

Naomi worked at several small insurance agencies before being hired by the US Forest Service Trapper Creek Job Corps where she was Business Education instructor. She retired in July 1993 and went with Wayne to volunteer at Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India where Wayne had grown up with his missionary parents. Wayne taught classes at Woodstock School and Naomi was secretary to the elementary school principal. They were dorm parents to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade boys.

Returning to Hamilton, she volunteered at Daly School where she ran reams of paper through the copy machines and coached students with their spelling. She volunteered at the Bitterroot Public Library where she checked books in and out. She was a member of PEO and held every office since being initiated in 1966. She was very active in the AFS foreign exchange program, being its president and host parent to a Norwegian boy. She taught Sunday School for many years and was Women's Association president in the churches she served. She was a "ding-a-ling" who rang handbells in the Presbyterian Bell Choir. And, she enjoyed many lifelong friendships through hiking, canoeing, cross country skiing and cooking Hindustani Indian dinners.

Survivors include her husband Wayne Wardwell of Hamilton; son Wayne Kimberly (Kim) Wardwell and wife Annie of Boise; daughter Kathryn Slinker and husband Bryan of Pullman, WA; son John (Spiderman) Wardwell of Discovery Care Centre of Hamilton; brother Paul Smith of Columbus, OH; and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and aunts and uncles. She was preceded in death by her brother Harold who died a soldier in the Korean War.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Hamilton Presbyterian Church Deacon's Fund used to help local people in need, or to the Bitterroot Public Library.


"Well done, good and faithful servant ... enter into the joy of your master."