Beatrice Smith, Thief River Falls, MN, 79, passed away on Wednesday July 8th, 2026, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota surrounded by her loving family.

The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday July 18th, 2026, at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, MN. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery immediately following the service.

Visitation will be on Friday July 17th, 2026, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Service with a

6:00 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Beatrice “Bea” Virginia (Lee) Smith was born February 6, 1947 in Grand Forks, ND. The daughter of David Robert and Mary Madonna (Terrian) Lee Ordway. She was raised in the Lutheran faith. She attended Lincoln High School and later obtained her degree through GED. Beatrice was united in marriage to Richard “Dick” Smith on July 12, 1963 in Sisseton, SD.

Over the years, she worked as a waitress before joining Arctic Cat, where she held different positions as an assembler, lead, and a forklift operator. She was also the owner/operator of Dick Smith’s Septic Tank Service, along with her husband, in Thief River Falls, MN and in the early years, during the winters in Waco, TX.

Bea was a member of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed traveling with her family and accompanied them to many new and old places. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren and made sure to attend every holiday gathering and special event. In 2013, she adopted her best friend, Buddy the pug, who spent the last twelve years with her as her constant companion.

She is survived by two daughters, Beatrice (Daniel) Narverud, and Tabitha (Edward) Jones as well as grandchildren, Brittany (Jesse) Sather, Alexandra Narverud, Adriana (Austin Gorsuch) Narverud, Orion Jones, Sophia Jones, Great-grandchildren Ezekiel, Kilah, and Ainsleigh Sather, and a brother Emery (Francesca) Lee, along with several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard “Dick” Smith, daughter Dorothy Louise Rasmussen, her parents, and several brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews.