May ‘Ellen’ (Smith) Hockett passed away on Friday, September 7, 2018 at her home in Codell, Kansas at the age of 105. She was born on February 8, 1913 on the family farm in Rooks County, Kansas to the late William A. and Percie (Pierson) Smith. She grew up in Rooks County and graduated from Codell High School with the Class of 1931. She was united in marriage to Howard Hockett on March 6, 1933. They were blessed with four children, Stanley, Rodney, Lonnie, and Bonnie.

Along with being a loving wife, mother, and homemaker she also worked, along with Howard, for the Codell School as a custodian, cook, and bus driver. She enjoyed the arts of sewing and quilting, and later in life, at about the age of 69, she took up painting, producing dozens of incredible pieces of work. She was an avid gardener growing large vegetable plots and many flower gardens as well. She and Howard were devoted servants of their family, church, and community. Always the first to arrive and the last to leave, they were happy to volunteer for any event, project, or fund raiser that was going on. But the times she loved the most were spent with her family, especially during the holidays when she could have extended time with her grandchildren.

Ellen is survived by her sons Rodney Hockett and wife Arlene of Codell, and Lonnie Hockett and wife Karen in Michigan; daughter Bonita Peterson and husband Bill of Wichita; brother Lee Smith of Codell; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-six great-grandchildren; and twenty-three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents W.A. and Percie Smith; husband Howard Hockett; brothers Howard Smith, Arthur Smith, and Roy Smith; sisters Neva Hoskins, and Ruby Zuehlke; and son Stanley Hockett.

The Scriptures remind us that only these three remain: faith, hope, and love. Ellen lived her entire life strong in faith, deep with hope, and abiding in love. Through her gentle and encouraging spirit, she showed us by daily example that indeed the greatest of these is love, for her legacy of love will live forever in the generations that follow her.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at Codell Community Church in Codell. Burial will follow in the Shiloh Cemetery near Codell. Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00pm on Tuesday at the funeral home in Plainville with family receiving friends from 6:00-7:30pm.