Jill Smith

In 1979 Jill and her daughter moved to Laporte, Minn., to aid in running a local boat storage and repair, (aka Bob’s Boat Storage). As it turned out, Jill and Robert “Bob” Smith met, fell in love and married July 20, 1981. The rest is history filled with love and devotion. Jill also worked for area nursing homes as a CNA, before joining the Upper Mississippi Headwaters Board until she took over the day-to-day operations of Bob’s Boat Storage until her retirement in 2016.

After retirement Jill spent time traveling the country with her sister and brother-in-law taking in the sights of Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio and all states in between. After a time, Jill’s grandson and family moved in next door and Jill spent quality time with them, especially loving the times she spent with two of her great-grandsons, Mitchell and Jacob. Jill remained in the home she shared with her husband, until the fall of 2022 when she moved to Buxton to live with her daughter and help care for her great-granddaughter, MacKenna Templeton.

Jill was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother and grandmother who loved the simple things in life. She was a homebody and enjoyed reading, gardening and any time spent with family. Oh! It must be said that Jill was a legendary maker of apple pie, banana bread, many kinds of jellies and the traditional Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.

Jill is survived in death by her six siblings, Michael (Helen) Kinter of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Susan Jackson of Des Moines, Barbara Bateman of Midland Odessa, Texas, Steven (Carol) Kinter of Ankeny, Iowa, Mary (Michael) Lossner of Mitchellville, Iowa, Richard (Amy) Kinter of Des Moines; daughter Kristan Templeton of Buxton; stepson Kenneth (Shirley) Smith of Bemidji; daughter-in-law Rhonda Smith of Columbia Falls, Mont.; grandchildren Zak (Crystal) Smith, Eli (Miranda) Smith, Dr. Lacey (Evan) Bagley, Sierra Smith, Joseph (Ashley) Templeton, Seth (Katt) Templeton, Meghan Templeton and Robert “Zeke” Smith; great-grandchildren Mitchell Trapier, Jacob Templeton, MacKenna Templeton, Beau Smith, Renaud Smith, Theo Smith, Sophe Schuver, Braxton Schuver, Leo Smith, Mamie Smith, Hattie Smith, Dax Bagley and Lily Bagley.

Jill was preceded in death by both her parents, Rosemary and Leo Kinter; husband Robert Smith; stepson Robert D Smith III; sister-in-law Sandy Kinter; and twin grandsons, Jacob Curtis and Christopher Allen Templeton.

Jill requested to be cremated and will be laid to rest with her beloved husband, Bob Smith, at the Lakeport Cemetery in Laporte.

A memorial service to honor the life and passing of Jill will be held Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. with a one-hour visitation prior to services at Northern Peace Funeral Home in Walker. Inurnment will be in the Lakeport Cemetery following the service.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.northernpeace.com

Jill’s care has been entrusted to the Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker, Minn.