Ethel Mae Smith

Ethel Mae Smith, age 80, passed away in Stuttgart on November 7, 2012. She was born in Carlisle on May 8, 1922 to parents Jacob Marion and Jennie L. Johnson. She lived her childhood years there and became a graduate of Carlisle High School in 1940. She attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway, Arkansas during 1941 and 1942. Following this she was employed by Haverty's Furniture Store in Little Rock, Arkansas until her marriage to Keneth Smith, who had served in the Air Force beginning in 1942 and until the end of World War II where he was stationed in India. Their marriage on December 1, 1946 in Carlisle was officiated by Richard Perry. Her family wants you to know they received from this great lady all that God can give because that is what she was to everyone she met. Ethel Mae is preceded in death by her husband, Keneth Smith. She is survived by two sons, Phil and wife Debby, of Stuttgart; Larry and wife Wendy, of Tichnor; also there are seven grandchildren and their families, Allison Smith and husband Chad and children Emma and Jennie of Bentonville; Melissa Smith and husband Jason and children Ryan and Layne of Watson; Jennifer Ferguson and husband Adam and children Grace, Eli, and Jacob of Tillar; Jessica Westerman and husband Adam and children Adison and Mackenzie of Bryant; Abby Gray and husband Brad and son Max of Light; Daniel Smith and wife Haley and daughter Kenlie of Tichnor; and Alex Smith of Maumelle; other survivors include a sister-in-law, Frances Smith of Carlisle, nephews, nieces, and cousins. Keneth and Ethel Mae moved to Tichnor to operate a family farm beginning in 1946. In addition to being a devoted wife and mother during the years Ethel Mae also was involved in civic and church offices and committees. She was an office holder in the Gillett schools Parent Teacher Association, Campshed Methodist Church as chair of the Pastor Parish Committee, Cub Scout Mom for many a pack, and a member of the Little Prairie Home Demonstration Club, an organization responsible for the cooking of barbeque rice for the annual Gillett Coon Supper. Her skills in the kitchen were legendary around the expanding Smith family. Over the years there have been "many a good meal served on the farm." Specialty items that are something of a family recipe were chocolate chip cookies, her homemade sweet pickles (delicious), and vanilla cream pie. Sunday after church was a meal of fried chicken, personally cut into the proper pieces and portions by none other, and ALL the trimmings. So if you were invited to put your feet under her table you no doubt showed up to be fed. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., on Saturday, November 10th, at Gillett United Methodist Church, 301 W. Leslie with burial at Gillett Cemetery by Essex Funeral Home of DeWitt. Each one of the family members are sharing special memories with the wonderful lady we call Mom, Meme, Grandmommy, and certainly friend. Memorials may be made to Gillett United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 88, Gillett, Ark. 72055 or Gillett Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 124, Gillett, Ark. 72055.