Gelene Burleson Smith

Gelene Burleson Smith, 81, of 220 East Oakview Road, Asheville, died Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at a local hospital. A native of Buncombe County, she was a daughter of the late James Roscoe and Aletha Mae Burleson. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Archie Smith, who died in 1999; two sons, James D. Burleson and Jerry B. Smith; a grandson, Rory Phillips and a great-grandson, Devan Phillips. She was a 1938 graduate of Sand Hill High School where she was All Buncombe County and All Conference in basketball and Miss Sand Hill. Mrs. Smith was a dedicated mother to her family and is survived by eight children, Gail Crawford and Chris Hagood, both of Asheville and Gwenda Phillips, Donna Hamlin, Ronnie Smith, Lanny Smith, Tony Smith and Wayne Smith, all of Candler; 24 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be 1:00 pm Saturday at Pisgah View Memorial Park. Her family will receive friends from 11:00-12:30 pm Saturday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue prior to the service. Memorials may be made to the Rory Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o RBC Centura Bank, 1007 Smoky Park Highway, Candler, NC 28715.