Constance Anne Smithwood

Constance Anne (Foote) Smithwood, age 84, of Littleton passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Monday, September 24, 2018, at her home surrounded by her family. She was the wife of the late Dr. Robert L. Smithwood.

Our Mom was born on May 25, 1934 in Cambridge Massachusetts, the daughter of the late Kenneth Isley and Barbara (Choate) Foote. Raised first in Somerville, then Belmont, her family moved to Arlington where she graduated from Arlington High School. She attended Wheelock College as a freshman but then transferred to Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana after meeting our Dad at the Green Lake Wisconsin Baptist Assembly and marrying a year to the day later on June 19th, 1954. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education in 1956. Our Dad died at 35 of Hodgkin's disease and so our Mom moved to Littleton in 1960 to be closer to her parents, knowing she had Multiple Sclerosis and would need help with us, aged 5, 3, and 2. She has lived there ever since.

Mom was active in church from a very young age. She taught Sunday School when she was in High School, sang in the choir, and attended junior and senior young people's groups on Sunday nights. She was also a Rainbow Worthy Advisor (the highest elected office) of the Arlington Assembly. Mom loved to dance and made all her gowns!

Mom worked first at the Remedial Reading Center in Concord, then for the Littleton Public Schools (Shaker Lane, Shattuck Street, the High School), beginning in 1975 and retired in 2009, when she was a Remedial Reading Specialist. She especially loved working with young children and delighted when they would compete for an opportunity to push her wheelchair!

Mom was an avid reader and enjoyed classical music (she had a speaker in every room of the house so that she could be surrounded by it!) and was a season subscriber to the Boston Symphony Orchestra (beginning at age 19) and The Concord Orchestra. She loved going to the Museum of Fine Arts, attending concerts and viewing art at the Elizabeth Stewart Gardner Museum, and going to Tanglewood regularly, all with Rob. She was also a longtime member of the Littleton Scholarship Trust.

Mom was also able to travel to London, Paris, Ireland, Scotland, and Nova Scotia (meeting Foote family relatives for the first time) with Martha and made frequent trips, including boat rides and ice fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee, to Wolfeboro to visit Doug.

After retiring from teaching, Mom continued to volunteer at school three times a week, volunteered at the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, taught English as a second language, and joined a local knitting group that made clothing for homeless shelters.

She is survived by her loving children, Martha Goodwine of Hollis, New Hampshire, Robert Smithwood of Concord Massachusetts, and Douglas Smithwood of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. She is also survived by seven grandchildren (Jennifer Smithwood-Green, Brandon Smithwood, Kelsey (Smithwood) Fiori, Elizabeth Smithwood, Paul Smithwood, Kevin Smithwood, and Zachary Smithwood) and three great-grandchildren (Jonas, Ryan, and Quinn). Mom was predeceased by her brother, David.

Our family would like to thank Rebecca and Bless of Deaconess Abundant Care for their incredible, loving care of our Mom for the last five months.

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember our Mom for a period of visitation (10AM – 11:30AM), a Memorial Service (11:30AM – 12:30AM), followed by a luncheon (12:30AM – 2PM) on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the First Baptist Church, 461 King St., in Littleton. Burial at the Newton Cemetery, alongside our Dad and Mom's parents, will be private.

Please make donations in her memory to either The Salvation Army or Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry in Devens MA.