ST. JOHNSVILLE - Anita A. (Bellen) Smith, age 90, a longtime and well - known and loved resident of St. Johnsville, NY, passed away peacefully yet suddenly on Wednesday afternoon, May 20, 2015 at Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown, NY. Anita A. Bellen was the eldest child of Joseph and Bessie (Borden) Bellen. She was born on Thanksgiving Day in 1924 at home. A 1942 graduate of Canajoharie High School, she excelled academically. During World War II she entered the Government Cadet Nurse Training Program and attended Russell Sage and Albany Medical Center Nursing Programs. In 1947 she married Frederick J. Smith, a St. Johnsville, NY businessman. They owned Smith's Market until 1973. They then purchased the former Caponera Liquor Store until Fred's retirement. Fred passed in 1988. Anita was appointed Montgomery County Historian in 1977 and held several offices in the New York State County Historians Association, and was nominated President of State Historians in 1981. She became the first Director of Development and Community Relations for Little Falls Hospital, established the departments' policies, computerization of records, and was a professional grant writer and successful fund raiser for the hospital. In 1991 she was appointed the Village of St. Johnsville Historian. Soon after, she was appointed the Town of St. Johnsville Historian. She was a sought after historian from all over the country for information on Mohawk Valley History and genealogical historian. Anita was a published author of historical books, pamphlets, magazine, and newspaper articles. Several of her books are still available on Amazon. She was a member and Trustee of the Fort Klock Historic Restoration, a founding member and trustee of the Palatine Settlement organization at Nellis Tavern and was always concerned with historic preservation. At Fort Klock she portrayed the school teacher in their 1825 one room school and enjoyed teaching children of all ages about local history. She used the theme, "Leaving a Legacy," and presented programs to local school children. She prepared history notebooks for the St. Johnsville School libraries. Historic Architecture was of great interest to Anita. She successfully prepared many National Register of Historic Places forms for Montgomery County Sites. She taught 137 workshops on how to date a house, historical architecture styles, landmark preservation, and the preparation of building structure inventory forms, and National Register criteria information. Several honors came from her involvement in local areas of community service. In 1980 she was Co-Director of the Lake Placid Olympic Torch run through Montgomery County and received a bronze medal for her efforts. In 2003 she was named Heritage Hero for Montgomery County. She was honored to be Grand Marshall at the St. Johnsville Springfest parade. She was a member of the Grace Christian Church of St. Johnsville. Anita was born into a close-knit family and she carried on that tradition with her siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and all of her husband's family. She held large Christmas parties and BBQ's in July for years. She thought that the children should know their extended family, and through that her family has grown to act like siblings, whether they were or not. She was pleased that the second and third generations continue to do these close knit parties to this day. Anita was the true Matriarch and leader of the family. Anita is survived by her sisters, Regina Doris Gee, and Diana (Grayson) Swartz, her sister - in - law, Catherine Bellen, and her step - son Donald W. (Laurie) Smith. She loved her nieces and nephews like they were her own children. They include: Janet Bellen, Patricia (Mark) Leonhardt, Joseph Bellen, Douglas (Cyndi) Gee, Marsha McGowan, Gina (Tom) Scheck, Danny (Renee) Gee, Lynn (Jeffrey) Crandall, John (Debbie) Dockerty, David (Debra) Dockerty, Melissa (Tom) Caponera, Darren Bellen, Mark (Rebecca) Trombetta, Michael Trombetta, Melanie Swartz, Matthew Swartz, Denise (Carl) Rockefeller, Anita Sue (John) Nichols, Cindy (David) Fitzgibbons, David Richards, a step-grandson Eric Smith, and many great and great - great nieces and nephews and extended family. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Bessie, her husband, Fred, her step - mother, Rose Bellen, her brothers Joseph and Donald Bellen, and her sister Patricia Bellen Dockerty. A memorial Celebration of the Life of Anita Smith will be held 2:00 P.M., Sunday, JULY 26, 2015 at the Grace Christian Church, 20 Center Street, St. Johnsville, NY. Interment will take place at the convenience of the family at West St. Johnsville Cemetery. There are no calling hours. It is the wish of the family that in lieu of floral offerings, donations in memory of Anita may be considered to either the Fort Klock Historical Restoration or the Margaret Reaney Memorial Library of St. Johnsville. The family has planned all funeral and burial arrangements with her 'neighbors' at The Enea Family Funeral Home, 9 Center Street in St. Johnsville. Funeral Directors Harry J. & Kevin E. Enea (518) 568-2300. To leave an online note of sympathy, please visit www.eneafamily.com on the Internet. .