Nelda Marie Forde Smith, a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away on September 12 in Indianapolis, where she had lived for the last 10 years. Nelda was born on November 29, 1922 in Muscatine, Iowa, to Arno Christopher and Nell (McGaughey) Bruemmer. She graduated from the University of Southern California and moved to the Palisades in 1948. She lived first on Monument Drive and then Amalfi, until moving to Castaic in 1973. A member and past president of both the Westside Charity League and the National Charity League, Nelda also served as president of the Coronet Ball board. She will be remembered most for her love of life. She was always the perfect hostess and a true entertainer; the only things she loved more than a good party were her cats and college football. Nelda is survived by her daughters, Valerie Forde Bennett (husband Donald) and Kimberlee Forde Wilson (husband Mike); her grandchildren Melissa McKnelly Jones and Lindsay Marie Wilson; stepgrandchildren Michael and Tim Bennett; and great-grandchildren Sarah, Anna, Brooke and Brandon. She was preceded in death by her first husband, George Alexander Forde, who was a partner at the Scudder and Forde law offices in Pacific Palisades; second husband Kenneth Dale Smith of Castaic; granddaughter Kristan Leah Wilson; and brother Robert Bruemmer. Funeral services will be held at Inglewood Mortuary in Inglewood at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 23, with visitation one hour prior to the services. Entombment will take place in Inglewood Park Cemetery immediately following the services. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Kristan Leah Wilson Scholarship Fund c/o Lawrence Township School Foundation, 6501 Sunnyside Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46236. Friends are invited to leave online condolences for the family at www.flannerbuchanan.com.
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