Lora Belle (Smith) Hastings was born on February 13, 1930 in Spearville, KS. She was the first of three children born to Mike and Hazel (Crouse) Smith. Later that decade, brother Chester Dale and sister Patricia Ann would complete the family. Her early years were not easy as she grew up during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl Days in southern Hodgeman County. She attended one room schools for her early education then studied and graduated from Jetmore High School in 1948. She then went to Cosmetology school in Dodge City and had a short career in hair dressing.
December 19, 1948 was the day Lora Belle married James Grant Hastings of Jetmore at the Jetmore Methodist Church. After a short stay in Jetmore, Jim and Lora Belle moved to the farm southeast of Hanston. To this marriage was born five children; Steven LaVern, Nancy Irene, Lawrence Alan, James Gordon, and Arnold Lee.
It was to this family that Lora Belle devoted her life. A farmer’s wife and homemaker was her title but so much went into these roles. Helping with farm work until children grew up enough to help was some of her early work. Being a mother of five children would be her biggest and most important responsibility. Jim and Lora Belle were members of the Hanston United Methodist Church so the children were “raised up right in the church”. They also instilled a strong work ethic that would serve the children well. This way of rearing children was not unique to them, as most “farm kids” from that era shared such an upbringing.
A growing family that needed a steady and bigger farm income was one of Lora Belle’s biggest challenges. The result was lots of chickens. One thousand chicks were purchased early in the spring then allowed to “free-range” all summer. In the fall, the current laying hens in the two-story barn were sold, the barn was cleaned, and the new laying hens moved in. Lora Belle was the chief egg gatherer, washer, grader, and egg case filler. Jim or the sons feed the chickens. It was a big and busy operation that went on for years.
When Lora Belle wasn’t busy working with the eggs or caring for her family; she worked to keep a beautiful yard and to plant a garden. The result was a perfect lawn, colorful flowers, and good, healthy food on the table.
Like us all, Lora Belle’s life was not a perfect one, but she did know Jesus. Her bible that she received at ten years of age was worn and filled with clippings of prayers and other Christian writings. Her church attendance dropped as she grew older but she would always watch the Billy Graham Crusades and some of the Sunday church services. She suffered back-to-back heartaches as she lost her husband and one of her sons. Jim died June 20, 1999 after fifty years of marriage. On January 6, 2001 she was told that her son, Larry, had died at his home in Wichita.
Lora Belle’s final four and a half years of her life was at the Hodgeman County Long Term Care Center. She received loving and compassionate care from all the staff. It was reported that she made the day more enjoyable for those around her with her humorous remarks. It was the home and care she needed to finish her time on earth but as the bible tells us “this is not our home.” She is now home.
Lora Belle leaves behind son Steve of Hanston, KS, daughter Nancy (Mike) Graves of Wichita, KS, son Jim (Margaret) of Stilwell, KS, and son Arnold (Cory) of Merriam, KS. Six grandchildren from the Kansas City area survive. Jim and Margaret’s children Adam, Emily, and Aaron, Arnold and Cory’s children Amy (Collin), Carly, and Noah. Also surviving is brother Chet Smith of Wichita, KS and sister Pat Snyder of Dodge City, KS. Many nephews, nieces, and cousins will also mourn her passing.
The funeral services will be held April 23, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Hanston United Methodist Church with Pastor Cyd Stein presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Beckwith Funeral Home, Jetmore. Burial will be in the Fairmount Cemetery, Jetmore.
Memorials may be given to Hodgeman County Long Term Care Center or Hanston United Methodist Church in care of Beckwith Funeral Home, Box 663 Jetmore, KS 67854.