Edith "Edie" Marie Layton (nee Smith)

Edith “Edie” Marie Layton (nee Smith) fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother church passed into eternal life on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

Edith was predeceased by her parents, Joseph Henry and Manie (nee Rose) Smith, her loving husband of 62 years, Arthur Thomas Layton, her beloved daughter and son-in-law, Betty (Mike) Morton, and two infant grandchildren, Laurie Morton and Ryan G. Sutterer.

Edith is survived by her sister, Ethel Lee Miller, and five children: Robert (Sue) Layton, Harold (Maureen) Layton, Linda Layton Kaucher, Kathy (Tim) Bub, and Jim Layton; seventeen grandchildren: Kelly (Jim) Flanagan, Michael (Melissa Heintz) Layton, Jeffrey (Crystal) Layton, Lisa (Jayden) Montgomery, Michael (Mandy) Morton, Todd (Michelle) Morton, Ellen (Dave) Christian, Karen (Mike) Mispagel, Megan Layton, Patrick (Ashleigh) Layton, Emily (Charlie) Sottoriva, Jean (Casey) Eckert, Trish (Ryan) Underwood, Kate Bierman, Jennifer (Gary) Summers, Eric (Julie) Sutterer, Nicole Layton; thirty-three great grandchildren, many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

Edie was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas, on September 4, 1925, to a poor family. Edie attended elementary school from ages 8-13; She loved school and boasted of being a champion speller. Edie was blessed to have a paternal aunt and uncle who doted on her, advocated for her, and helped provide necessities her family could not.

Edie met her future husband, Art, while taking his order a Pocahontas Diner. Art later told Edie he had been praying for God to help him find a wonderful wife, and God led him to that diner. The young couple moved to North St. Louis for employment opportunities. While Art started a job, Edie worked at a job and lived in one rented room, blocks from Art. At Holy Cross Church in Baden, Edie took instructions in the Catholic Faith from Monsignor Hellriegel. On My 27, 1944, Edie made her first Communion and exactly one month later, walked three blocks to Holy Cross church in her wedding gown to begin her married life.

Together, Art and Edie built their first small home on Jacobi and, later, the home where they would raise their family in Spanish Lake, which Edie called, “a little slice of Heaven.” Edie and Art were active parishioners at St. Aloysius Catholic Church for over fifty years. While raising a family, Edie worked retail, canned thousands of jars of fruits and vegetables from their garden, baked delicious desserts, sewed beautiful Christmas and Easter outfits, pajamas, robes, dolls and teddy bears for the family, and crocheted miles of afghans for all. An annual treat for Art and Edie was their vacation. The couple loved traveling and, after retirement, Art and Edie continued their travels eventually reaching 49 states.

After Art’s death, Edie moved to a villa community in St. Peters. Edie met wonderful neighbors who soon became good friends providing companionship, joy, flowers, and even food to her front door. When Edie could no longer attend Mass, at St. Joachim and Ann Church, a caring Eucharistic Minister brought communion, Conversation, and laughter to her home.

At age 97, Edie moved into assisted living. Her grandson, Mike, and his friend Melissa, faithfully brought communion to her apartment at The Landing in St. Charles. The staff at The Landing became her new friends and lovingly cared for and supported Edie.

In the last days, Edie received wonderful care in Barnes-Jewish ICU and from the nursed and staff of Evelyn’s House, where she ended her earthly life surrounded by family period.

Donations may be made in Edie’s Memory to either:

The Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis

1201 Hanley Industrial Court, Suite A

Brentwood, MO 63144

https://combonimissionaries.org/ 

Or

Comboni Missionaries

1318 Nagel Rd.

Cincinnati, OH 45255

https://combonimissionaries.org/