Mary Lee Parks Smith

Mary Lee Parks Smith, 88, of N. County Home Road, passed away Thursday, January 3, 2013, at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, after a brief illness. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Sunday, January 6, 2013, at Mt. Tabor United Church of Christ, where she was a member, with the Rev. Darrell Sluder officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, January 5, 2013, at Davidson Funeral Home and other times at the home. Mrs. Smith was born November 24, 1924, in Davidson County, to William Jacob Parks and Annie B. Crotts Parks. She met Edmund Franklin Smith in high school and was married shortly after graduation on November 6, 1943. After his return from World War II, they built their home on County Home Road where she lived out the rest of her life, spending her time as a homemaker raising her three children and looking after her six grandchildren. She also worked briefly outside the home at Dixie Furniture while her own children attended school. Mrs. Smith was a member of Mt. Tabor United Church of Christ all of her adult life where she taught Sunday school and was a member and one-time president of the Women’s guild. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by four brothers, Weldon Parks, Clay Parks, Baxter Parks and Donald Parks; and two sisters, Lois Parks and Ruby Hammann. Surviving are her husband of 69 years of the home; sister, Connie Williams; two sons, Gary Smith and wife, Barbara, and Keith Smith and wife, Cheryl; a daughter, Patricia Corry and husband, Don; grandchildren, Jason Smith, Aaron Smith and wife, Jessa, Matthew Smith, Ryan Smith, Brian Paden and wife, Megan, and Lynley Paden; great-grandchildren, Gitana Smith, Brianna Smith, Vada Smith, Aurora Smith and Kailey Paden. The family would like to thank a special caregiver, Perry Kearns, for all his concern, care and love in looking after her and Ed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mt. Tabor UCC New Building Fund, 1002 E. Holly Grove Road, Lexington, NC 27292.