BRUNETTA IONA SMITH, seventh child of Virgil and Rachel Smith, was born on April 17, 1890 in Mansfield, Louisiana.  She attended rural school near her home in Mansfield, Louisiana and in Center Public School.  School and church were vital part of her life as she followed other family members in joining the First Baptist Church, being baptized in the "Lane" pond with her sister Lou on May 26, 1907.   Iona attended the Center Business College and became one of the early businesswomen of Center.  She was employed with her brother in the insurance business and later worked for various judges.  In the 1930's she was employed as a bookkeeper and was a stock holder in J. G. Harris Hardware and Furniture Wholesale and Retail Company in Center, Texas.  In 1940 she undertook the job of taking census of Shelby County.   After the census she moved to Beaumont to live near her sister and began a new chapter in her life.  In Beaumont she was employed  as bookkeeper for a lumber company during the war years.  On March 30, 1942 she married LOY SPEIGHTS NETHERY of Milam, Sabine County, Texas.  Loy worked in the shipyards in Orange, Texas during the war years and afterwards was with Sun Oil Company.   To this union no children were born.  Iona Smith Nethery died on June 29, 1959 in Beaumont, Texas after a five year bout with cancer.  She is buried in the Smith family plot in Fairview Cemetery, Center, Shelby County, Texas.

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