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Yetta Smaller of Madison died peacefully at Madison House at the age of 91. She was born in 1927 in Detroit, Michigan, and married Sam Smaller, the love of her life in 1946. They settled in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1957, where they raised their children and started an insurance agency.

She was predeceased by her husband Sam of 53 years in 1999; her parents Oscar and Anna Guss; and sisters Sylvia Wolf and Jenny Fox. Yetta is survived by her daughter Dr. Adrienne Smaller and her husband Dr. Jonathan Swift of Madison, and their children Sarah Smaller-Swift and her husband Quinn Wallis and their son Camden of Hyattsville, Maryland; and Joshua Smaller-Swift and his wife, Carla Saint-Preux of Brooklyn, New York. She is also survived by her son Dr. Mark Smaller and his wife Kate of Michigan, as well as their children and grandchildren Leah Smaller of Perrysburg, Ohio, Brett Balmer and Paige Bartley and their families of Oak Park, Illinois, and Georgie, Sam and Jessica Richardson Smaller of Michigan, as well as nieces and nephews.

Yetta graduated from Central High School in Detroit and attended Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She worked for the Internal Revenue Service and then as an administrator for her husband’s insurance agency, later becoming a licensed insurance agent. Yetta was an enthusiastic volunteer, serving as president of Temple Emanuel of Grand Rapids, one of the oldest Reform congregations in the United States, established in 1857. She was a life-long member of Hadassah and was a national board member of the Union of Reform Jewish Women and headed fundraising drives for the ordination of the first woman Rabbi of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She raised money for the support and immigration of Soviet Jews to the United States and the Jewish Campership fund.

She loved music, theater, golf, and bridge, but most of all, she loved traveling to see her grandchildren and supporting their activities and traveling to Europe and Israel with Sam. After she and Sam retired to Pompano Beach, Florida, Yetta was president of the Ladies Golf League at Palm-Aire Country Club and was active in the Broward County Democratic Party. She loved opening her home to her grandchildren and their friends during spring break in Pompano Beach.

In 2010, Yetta moved to Madison to be closer to family. She was involved in many activities at the Madison Senior Center, as well as volunteering her time for the newsletter and leading tours of the new center. She loved the exercise classes and playing bridge at the Madison Senior Center and at the Madison Winter Club. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends who loved her great spirit, commitment to liberal and Jewish values, feminism, her sense of humor and her ability to always speak her mind.

The family wishes to thank the following for her care: Dr. Mary Scheimann, Dr. Kevin Twohig, Dr. James Zumpano, Dr. Scott Wolford, Dr. Paul Coppola, and Dr. Patricia Eckert, Steve Marchese, Debbie Millspaugh, and the staff at the Madison Senior Center and Madison House.

The funeral service and burial were private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Rd., Madison, CT 06443, or to a charity of one’s choice.