Obituary of Alda M. Smickle

A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. Alda Mae “Skip” Smickle, 99, passed away peacefully the morning of December 2, 2024 at home in Lower Mount Bethel Township, PA.

Born in Hazen, NJ to the late James Clifford and Hazel May (LaBarre) Mills on November 25, 1925. Alda attended Belvidere High School, graduating in 1943 with her future loving husband, William “Bill” Smickle. While in high school she played the clarinet in the school band and spoke at her graduation.  They married on Christmas Eve in 1945 while Bill was on leave from the Navy serving during WWII and remained married for 52 years until his passing in November 1997. Being an only child, becoming a Smickle gave Alda the experience of being a part of a wonderful large family.

She was lovingly raised by her parents in the little community of Bridgeville, NJ where she and Bill later raised their four daughters while running the gas station that her father built and operated prior. Bridgeville was a place she fondly remembered and spoke of until her last day.   After retiring they built their forever home in Lower Mount Bethel Township, PA which turned out to be a wonderful location to live out their lives happily.

One of her greatest gifts was the ability to see and convey, through her eyes, the beauty in nature and all the little things in everyday life that could have been taken for granted. She also had such a natural artistic ability, whether it be writing and appreciating beautiful poetry, painting, creating, and cultivating beautiful flower beds, cooking delicious food that could not be replicated no matter how hard you tried, and arranging the possessions she collected, which she enjoyed so. As she would say, “I love my stuff!”.  She was an amazing Nanna, her creative ideas for activities and the love of playing with her grandchildren made a visit or sleepover at Nannas a most enjoyable time that they will lovingly remember.

Alda will be forever remembered for her loving and caring ways, never judging anyone but accepting them for who they are and was so ahead of her time. She was such a positive influence throughout her entire life, not only on her family, but to all that were lucky enough to know her, a mom and nanna to all. You always felt better after a conversation with her, when you needed someone to give you a boost of confidence or help you through a tough time, her amazingly positive and logical outlook on life seemed to make it all better and able to face the day. She always reminded those around her how blessed she was for all she had in life and how thankful she was, especially in later years. By having this amazing person in their lives, the lessons on how to love and to be loved were so perfectly taught and handed down through her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. It really cannot be encompassed into words all the wonderful, immaterial gifts she gave to those she loved to go on without her and know it will be okay.

She is survived by and will be dearly missed by her 4 loving daughters, Nancy Romain of Morristown, NJ, Jane Kartzman and her husband Steve of Randolph, NJ, Jill Csovelak and her husband Jim of Forks Township, PA and Christine Pohl and her husband Rich of White Township, NJ, a wonderful Nanna to her treasured grandchildren, Lisa and Laura (Neil Templeton) Romain, Adam (Tara Sherry) and Matthew Kartzman, Lucas (Abbie Trone) and Marissa (Steven Heberle) Csovelak, and Richard (Taryn) Pohl.  Lastly and so dear to her heart, her great grandchildren Matthew Templeton, Addisyn and Kendall Kartzman, Logan and Sebastian Csovelak, Wyatt Heberle, and Bryce and Andrew Pohl.

In addition to her parents and husband she is predeceased by an infant brother William, son-in-law Dennis Romain as well as many cherished extended family members.

Funeral Service will be held 11:00 AM, Monday, December 9, 2024 at MacFadden Funeral Home, Belvidere, NJ. Burial will follow at the Hazen Cemetery, White Township, NJ. 

Friends may call from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Sunday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Alda’s memory to the charity of your choice.