Smith Funeral Home & Chapel

09/17/2025

Cheryl L Mewhorter

Cheryl Mewhorter, age 78, of Palmyra, MO passed away at 6:47 am Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Maple Lawn Nursing Home.

Funeral arrangements are currently pending.

The family is being served by Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

View Cheryl L Mewhorter's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

09/17/2025

One of the most meaningful gifts you can give your family isn’t wrapped in paper—it’s wrapped in peace of mind. 💝

Pre-planning your funeral ensures your wishes are honored and lifts the burden of difficult decisions from your loved ones during a time of grief. It’s a lasting act of love that provides clarity, comfort, and connection.

In our latest blog, we explore how to start this caring conversation, the key decisions to consider, and why this process is one of the most compassionate steps you can take. Inside the blog, you’ll find a link to download our free guide, Pre-Planning Your Funeral: A Gift to Your Family.

Pre-planning a funeral is a gift of peace for family members. This act of love eases emotional and financial burdens during a time of grief by ensuring wishes are known and respected.

09/16/2025

Choosing cremation is a deeply personal decision, but it often addresses only the physical aspect of saying goodbye. The emotional journey of grief requires something more. 💙

In our latest blog, "Cremation and Closure: How a Memorial Service Completes the Farewell," we explore why gathering to honor a life is a vital step toward healing. A memorial service provides a space for shared grief, celebrates a unique legacy, and offers the emotional finality that loved ones need to move forward.

This piece is a thoughtful resource for anyone considering how to meaningfully honor a life while navigating the practicalities of cremation.

While cremation handles the physical disposition of remains, a memorial service addresses the emotional and social needs for closure.

09/15/2025

Fredrich "Fred" James Cruse

Fredrich "Fred" James Cruse, age 78, of Hannibal, MO passed away at 7:43 am Sunday, September 14, 2025, at his home.

The family is being served by Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

A full obituary will be posted upon family's approval.

View Fredrich "Fred" James Cruse's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

09/15/2025

Grief is hard enough without the weight of unexpected decisions. As a funeral director, I've seen how pre-planning is one of the most loving gifts you can give your family. It’s not about death—it’s about peace of mind. 💙

If you've been thinking about it, let's have a no-pressure conversation. I'm here to help.

📞 Call us at 573-221-8148 to learn more.

09/14/2025

This September, we stand with the brave children, families, and caregivers navigating the journey of childhood cancer. 💛

During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we honor the incredible strength of young fighters and remember the beautiful lives lost far too soon. Their courage leaves a lasting impact on all who knew them.

To every family touched by this disease: your grief, your hope, and your love are seen. You are in our hearts this month and always.

09/12/2025

Grief is often seen as an ending, but what if it's also a beginning? 🌱

In our latest blog and podcast episode, "Grief and Growth: Finding Healing and Transformation Through the Process of Letting Go," we explore the profound paradox of loss and renewal. Discover how the journey of letting go can create space for resilience, rediscovery, and a deeper appreciation for life—even amid sorrow.

This resource offers gentle guidance for anyone navigating loss, emphasizing that healing isn't about moving on, but moving forward with love. The podcast is available on all major platforms, and our grief support programs are here if you need guidance.

Grief is not just as an ending but a pathway to personal transformation. Letting go creates space for new growth and carryies love forward in changed ways.

09/11/2025

On this Patriot's Day and National Day of Service & Remembrance, we pause to honor the lives lost, the heroes who responded, and the families forever changed on September 11, 2001.

Today is a day of collective memory—a time to reflect on the fragility of life and the strength of the human spirit. It is also a day to channel our grief into purpose, by performing acts of service, however small, in our communities.

We remember with heavy hearts, and we honor by lifting others up.

09/10/2025

As we approach the anniversary of 9/11, many of us feel the return of a shared, collective grief. How do we honor such profound loss while still holding space for hope? 🤍

In our latest blog, "Honoring Memory, Embracing Hope: Finding Meaning Amidst Collective Loss," we explore the unique nature of communal sorrow and offer thoughtful ways to reflect, remember, and find meaning through ritual and storytelling.

This piece is a gentle resource for anyone navigating the weight of this season, reminding us that even in remembrance, we can find light and connection.

Collective grief is both public and private, and that it's normal for anniversaries to resurface emotions. The legacy of 9/11 lies in the revealed strength of community, memory, and the persistence of light.

09/09/2025

Brenden Thomas Mastin

Brenden Thomas Mastin, age 28, of Decatur, IL passed away at 10:53 am Sunday, September 7, 2025.

A private Memorial Service with family will be held at Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

Brenden was born on February 12, 1997, in Hannibal, Missouri the son of Brock (Shelby) Mastin and Jenna (Nick) Arrowsmith-Aman.

Survivors include his parents; daughter, Roseily Mastin and her mother Destiny Lankford; his paternal grandparents Greg and Debbie Mastin of Hannibal, MO; his maternal grandparents Brent and Tracy Arrowsmith of Quincy, IL; two sisters, Kelby (Bobby) Harrison of Quincy, IL, Brooklyn Mastin of Quincy, IL; several aunts and uncles; numerous cousins and two nieces.

Brenden graduated from Quincy Senior High in 2015

Brenden lived his life with a free spirit and a heart full of love for those around him.

He will be remembered for his passion for skateboarding, his joy in bike riding and exploring the outdoors, and the countless hours he spent playing video games with friends. Brenden found happiness in the simple things—whether cruising on his skateboard, laughing with family, or just enjoying the freedom of being outside.

Those who knew Brenden will never forget his playful nature, his love of adventure, and the little smirk that could light up a room. He touched the lives of everyone who knew him and left behind memories that will be cherished forever.

Honorary Pallbearers will be his uncle's Clint Mastin, Philip Arrowsmith and Corbin Arrowsmith.

Memorial contributions are for his daughter, Roseily Mastin for her future education and they may be made out to Brenden's mother Jenna Arrowsmith-Aman, in care of Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

Online condolences may be made to the family and video tribute viewed on Brenden's memorial page at www.smithfuneralhomeandchapel.com

View Brenden Thomas Mastin's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

09/09/2025

Hospice isn’t about giving up—it’s about choosing comfort, dignity, and love when it matters most. ❤️🕊️

In our latest blog, we explore the philosophy of hospice care: what it is, who it’s for, and how it supports both patients and families through life’s most tender transition. If you or someone you love is facing a terminal illness, this resource offers clarity, compassion, and practical guidance.

Inside the blog, you’ll find a link to download our free guide, Hospice: Not a Place, But a Philosophy.

Hospice care is a philosophy focused on compassionate support for individuals with a life-limiting illness, rather than a physical place. It aims to manage pain and symptoms, enhance quality of life, and provide emotional and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones.

09/07/2025

Their love was unconditional. Their paw prints are forever on our hearts. 🐾

This National Pet Memorial Day, we honor the beloved pets who brought us so much joy and companionship. Your grief is valid, and you are not alone.

We invite you to share a memory of your furry friend below.