Immaculate Conception School - Toal Achievement Award Recipient

Guadalupe 'Lupe' Almaguer '37 Smith

Lupe Smith, the 2002 female recipient of the James J. Toal, Ph. D. Alumni Achievement Award makes her home in Monmouth, IL. She is no stranger to our Immaculate Conception parish and school. A woman, who in her own words says, "I have done nothing significant except to be a mother and wife for almost 57 years!"

Many would describe Lupe as a compassionate woman, one who is caring, understanding, always giving of her talents as her busy schedule permits, and having done so all her life. Guadalupe Lupe Almaguer Smith was raised by immigrant parents from Mexico. Her parents instilled the importance of education to her and her 5 brothers and sisters (6 total), all graduates of Immaculate Conception School. As a student at ICS, she would walk a mile during the Lenten season to mass every morning, (over a mile) to 7:00 a.m. Mass, walking back home for breakfast, and returning to school for 9:00 a.m. classes.

After graduating from ICS in 1937, and subsequently from Monmouth High School in 1941, she entered nurses training and graduated. Working as a nurse in Chicago for a few years, she moved to California (as a Floor nurse) and becoming the wife of a serviceman. She returned to Monmouth after World War II and worked at Monmouth Hospital (the old one) as Supervisor. In addition, she served as a private nurse for 22 years for a Doctor's wife. Though the years she has assisted the police, hospital, and states attorney's office. She has served our local meat packing facility and Federal Immigration Service and local families with translating assistance, particularly on several occasions to Chicago for legalization status.

From assisting our church pastors over the years of translating their homilies and assisting families that required her assistance. She was honored at a luncheon by the Peoria Diocese as a recipient of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Award.

She and her husband Harry, have three children, daughters, Rosa Stein, of Parkville, MO, Sylvia Miller, of Springfield IL, and son, Larry, of Middleburg, FL. One of our finest, Congratulations to Lupe Almaguer Smith, Class of 1937 with the 2002 James J. Toal, Ph.D. Alumni Achievement Award.