Regeina "Reggie" De Smet

Regeina Kay De Smet, known to most as “Reggie” or “Kay,” went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 4, 2020. Age 72, she passed in her Warsaw home, surrounded by her loving family at 8:20 p.m

Reggie was born on December 2, 1947 in Barlow, Kentucky to the late Orval Glennard and Senora Alberta (Shemwell) Purcell. She grew up in nearby Kevil, Kentucky and helped her parents to harvest tobacco. She later attended John Adams High School in South Bend and followed her love of hair styling, working for and managing Continental Hair Fashions. She also taught hair styling at Elkhart Career Center. In addition, she was a cosmetics and jewelry salesperson at Goldblatts in Mishawaka, worked as secretary/sales assistant for Femco, and worked in janitorial sales.

She enjoyed flower arranging, and loved travelling with her husband, George; together they visited Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Alaska and the Western US, among other destinations. She also kept busy in retirement at her Florida Pioneer Creek Park Community where she called BINGO, was the park’s newsletter editor, wrote articles for the Wauchula Newspaper and was a Cruise Travel Agent within the park. She also was a mobile home sales agent and did home sales by staging the park.

Reggie loved to sing in church and sang karaoke. She was a DJ, sponsoring karaoke for fifteen years in the park and other venues. She sang many types of music though her favorites were songs by Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. She rarely met a stranger, enjoyed helping others and loved her pet companions: dog, Peppi and cats, Ebony and Scamper.

She dearly loved her blended family. Along with her husband, George De Smet of Warsaw, six daughters survive – daughters: Amy (Rob) Stickler of Warren and Tammy (Zsolt) Honti of Granger; step-daughters: Tina De Smet of South Bend, Teresa (Scott) McGuire of Elkhart, Tammy (David) Niezgodski of South Bend and Karen (Brad) Sroda of De Pere, WI. Fourteen grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren and a brother, James (Kandy) Purcell also survive. She was preceded in passing by her parents and a sister, Jean Purcell.

Titus Funeral Home of 2000 East Sheridan Street, Warsaw is assisting the family. Friends may join the family there for visitation beginning at Noon on Saturday, November 14, 2020. At 3:30 p.m., family friend and retired Pastor Dave Smitley will officiate Reggie’s Life Celebration service.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Heart to Heart Hospice of Northern Indiana, 620 W Edison Rd #122, Mishawaka, IN 46545.