THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 39, NO. 8 | SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
HATS OFF
St. Agnes parishioner crochets baby hats for Children’s Mercy By Jan Dixon Special to The Leaven
O
ne tiny hat each day — that’s what Evelyn Smith crocheted for premature babies this past year. A parishioner of St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park, she has spent a lifetime doing for others. She started young. “My grandmother had me knitting baby socks on four needles when I was eight years old,” she said. “I could knit and crochet and do needlework, and so I made things for others.” Smith was born in Brooklyn, New York. She married a Navy man and moved to Wisconsin, where she served as secretary to the general at Fort McCoy. The family then settled in Kansas and joined St.
Agnes Parish. Smith served as president of the Single Mothers Club and as secretary of the parish school for 30 years. She sent her children to St. Agnes School and to Bishop Miege High School. During those years, she made and gave away hats, scarves, socks and sweaters. “I knitted red socks for my husband who was a Chiefs fan, argyle socks for my daughter and hats for the Salvation Army,” Smith said. Her biggest challenge was a Barbie doll wedding dress crocheted out of very fine string. “I spent many lunch hours working on that one.” Smith also spent many hours helping and listening to children in the school office. Many of the ones that had gotten in trouble in school came back over the years to see her. >> See “PRAYERS” on page 6