Ercell Norine Flood

cell Norine Smith Flood was born on December 15, 1922 to Lottie McCord and Guy Smith at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Ercell passed away May 21 2018, at the age of 95. She grew up on a ranch in the sand hills of Nebraska. Her parents had 5 children, 2 boys, and 3 girls of which Ercell was the eldest. The first 8 years of her schooling was at a country school. She and her brother rode horses to school all 8 years. High school was spent in Oshkosh, Nebraska living with her grandparents, it was there in 1940 she graduated with honors from high school. Ercell attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for 2 years studying accounting and shorthand. After December 1942, she took a Civil Service Exam and got a job in Washington, D.C. Ercell worked a short time for the Ordnance Department (War Department) but soon began working at the still unfinished Pentagon. She was a secretary for the Lend/Lease Department, for United States (military equipment going to England and Russia). The records were stored in IBM computers that used punched cards for data entry. Ercell arrived each morning on a special bus that went just to the Pentagon. The bus entrance was underground and Ercell climbed stairs to the first main concourse and through security. In 1942, her beginning wage was $1400.40 annually she was soon raised to $1800.00 a year.

In 1942 Ercell was introduced to Joe by a roommate. They were married shortly after on December 12, 1942 in St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. with 12 quests in attendance. Ercell continued working at the Pentagon and Joe was shipped out for the Pacific for the remainder of the war. At the end of the war Ercell quit her job and travelled across the U.S. to Long Beach to pick up Joe. They then drove from Long Beach back to Boston, Mass., where Joe was stationed until his discharge from the Navy. Their first daughter Barbara was born in Boston, Mass., January 1946. Joe was discharged from the Navy in February 1946, the family moved to Ercell's father's ranch in Nebraska. They ranched in Nebraska for 8 years and had two more daughters, Jane and Patricia.

Joe and Ercell entered a Homestead drawing for farm land in Minidoka County near Rupert. The drawing contained 600 farms; one hundred and twenty five farms were given away each year, from 1953 through 1958. The drawings were held in the Rupert square. A roll drum with the names in it was spun and a name was picked out. Joe and Ercell drew a farm the first year, 1953 and moved to a farm five miles north of Rupert, the spring of 1954, they farmed until 2006. Ercell worked side by side with Joe, milking cows, running tractor, and driving truck. Ercell was an exceptional cook and seamstress. Her three girls made her proud both with their cooking and sewing.

Grandma's house was the go to place for all of her grandchildren. They spent many a day there playing and eating until she sent them home because she was out of food.

Ercell is preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Joe and her grandson Michael Adams. She is survived by her three daughters and their husbands, Barbara and Timm Adams, Jane and Wayne Allen, Patricia and Mike Knoblauch. Ercell has 11 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers Laddie and Barry Smith and her sister Beverly McPeak.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 24, 2018 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Rupert with Father Gabriel Morales as celebrant. The family will greet friends for one half hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Rupert Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Hansen Mortuary in Rupert.

Funeral Service Date of Service: May 24, 2018