Mark Kettron Smathers
October 22, 1969 ~ November 15, 2002
Resided in:
Candler, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Mark Kettron Smathers, 33, of 924 Pisgah Highway, Candler, went to be with the Lord on Friday, November 15, 2002.
Mr. Smathers was born in Buncombe County and was a graduate of Enka High School. He also graduated from Haywood Technical College with a degree in Fish and Wildlife Management. He was the owner and operator of Mark’s Body Shop and Collision Center and was a member of Piney Mountain United Methodist Church. He was an avid bass fisherman and active member of the Pigeon Valley Bassmasters Club.
He is survived by his mother, Linda M. Young of Candler; his father, David R. Smathers and his wife Shirley of Enka; two sisters Laura Lawrence and her husband Jody of Candler and Carla Brank of Candler; a nephew Randy Brank of Candler; and by his best friend Rusty Lipe.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 pm Monday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral home with the Rev. Tommy Crowe officiating. Burial will be at Piney Mountain United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Jim Muse, Rusty Lipe, Eric Whiteside, Rocky Owenby, Rick Foster and Mark Kennedy. Members of the Pigeon Valley Bassmasters will be honorary pallbearers.
His family will receive friends from 5 - 7 pm Sunday at the funeral home and request that memorials be made to the Pigeon Valley Bassmasters Club to benefit the Broyhill Children’s Home, PO Box 170, Canton, NC 28716, or to the National Hemophilia Foundation, 116 West 32nd Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
To the family of Mark, we are so sorry for your lost. He was such a wonderful person. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and trust that the Lord will give you the peace that you need during this time
I am so sorry to hear about Mark’s death. He was a wonderful person in High School, and I am sure that he grew up to be a wonderful man. I have not seen him but a couple of times since High School, and for that I regret. He will be missed terribly.
We are so terribly sorry for your loss God Bless Stan-Jill
WE ARE SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS,IF WE CAN HELP IN ANY WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW. LARRY AND CAROLYN DAVIS
To the Family of Mark Smathers:
The spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27). May god be with you in this moment of need. Mark left a lasting impression upon everyone that he encountered, each one of us will always remember him that way. Mark has now gone to be with the lord, and fish for eternity. May God Bless. Love always-
To the Family Of MARK,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and PRAYERS are with you all at this time. Just remember GOD will not FORSAKE you.
Joey and Bobbie Caison
Carla and the Smathers Family,
John and I want to let you know that our prayers and thoughts are with you. This is a hard time and just trust in God,family and friends to help you get through.If you need anything just give us a call. Love, Nola and John
My deepest sympathy to Mark’s family:
I have known Mark for most of his life.
He lived next door for most of his life. I remember he was a very inquisitive child. Following my father, Fred Childs, through our yard, Mark would always ask lots of questions. I think Fred was impressed that Mark was so curious about the world. I know he enjoyed Mark’s company.
Mark was certainly a good, kind neighbor & will be greatly missed.
FROM EVERYONE AT MOTOR PARTS OF ASHEVILLE,OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES FOR
EVERYONE IN MARK’S FAMILY.
I was so sorry to hear about Mark , he was a wonderful person. I dont think that you good ever meet a more courteous person than what he was. He used to deliver rugs at our store Leicester Supply and then he also fixed my daugthers car when we were rear ended about 2-years ago . Please know that you are all in our prayers, and also know that you are not alone. Sincerely,
We are sorry for your loss. Mark was a wonderful friend. He will be truley missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. God Bless
Perry and Cindy Christopher
Dear Family, Please know that our hearts are broken for the great loss that you have suffered and that you all are in our prayers. May God wrap you in His love and tender care now and in the difficult times ahead. We love and care for you all. Bruce & Helen Wiggins
To the Smather’s family,
I am very sorry for your loss. Mark was a great person and a friend to all that knew him.
Smathers Family,
I very sorry for you loss and my thoughts and Prayers are with your family
Smathers Family,
I very sorry for you loss and my thoughts and Prayers are with your family
Smathers Family,
I very sorry for you loss and my thoughts and Prayers are with your family
Smathers Family,
I very sorry for you loss and my thoughts and Prayers are with your family
David and Shirley,
Mike and I were so sorry to hear about Mark. We have been praying for you all. I stopped by the funeral home Sunday but there was such a line I did not feel well enough to stand outside in the wind and weather. Although it was wonderful to see so many people sharing their condolences, I regret that we were unable to speak with you personally.
We didn’t know Mark for a very long time, but he made you feel like you had known him forever. He will be missed by all of us. Our deepest condolences to his family.
To the family of Mark, we want to convey our deepest sympathies. I got to know Mark through his delivery job before he opened his own business. I talked to him every week and felt as if I had known him all my life. I know he will be missed by his family and friends. You will be in our thoughts and prayers. Jeff & Myra Kuykendall
To the Smather’s family, I am truly sorry to hear of the passing of Mark.I only knew him in high school,but he was always friendly to me in auto mechanics class that I took one year.I do know how you are feeling I lost my husband of 11 and a half years almost nine months ago.All I can say is let God guide you through this time of grief.Because he sure has helped me.
To the Smather’s family –
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of sorrow.
Sincerely,
Gary & Sue Vick
Dwayne Vick
Christy Vick
Brandon Vick
I am so sad to hear of this. Mark was always a very outstanding person and freindly. He will be missed and our prayers go out to his family and friends. Dean Ball and Family.
We were so sorry to hear about Mark. He was always the same each time you seen him. May the Lord be with you at this time.
Linda & family,
May the Lord be your comfort during this most trying and grievous time.
You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
With love,
Ellen
Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Dear Smathers family – We are sorry to have learned of Mark’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
My husband and I were at Piney Mountain UMC where Mark was a member for nine years. I can honestly say he was one of the finest young men we have ever known. Although we left Piney Mountain about 3 years ago, H.D. had spoken with Marc about six weeks ago. Our sympathy goes out to the family. We will all miss Mark but I am sure he is at peace now. We are all better people for having known Mark Smathers. God Bless.
DEAR CARLA AND FAMILY,
I’M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. I KNOW THERE ARE NO WORDS THAT CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR HEARTACHE AND SADDNESS. PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN MY THOUGHTS AND IN OUR PRAYERS. AND IF I CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP CONFORT YOU PLEASE CALL ME ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT.
GOD BLESS
TAWANA AND FAMILY
We are friends of Merrie and Mark Smathers and showed horses with them. What a joy to be around him and a true blessing to have known him. He was honest and happy and always made people feel at ease. Please know that the Lord will take care of him.
David & family,
May the Lord’s hands of compassion and love shine down upon you and give you strength during this time of sorrow. We will keep you in our prayers. God Bless You
We send our thoughts & prayers to each of you.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I went to elementary and high school with Mark and had the opportunity to see and speak with him on several occasions in the past year or so where I work. My prayer for your family is that the Lord’s loving arms will embrace you and that your memories of Mark will bring you comfort.
Laura, Carla and family:
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you.
I am so sorry for your loss. I went to school with Mark all my life, he was always the nicest person. My prayers are with you all. Remember
God’s grace is sufficient.
Mr. and Mrs. Smathers
We are so sorry to hear about your loss. May God comfort you as
only he can do. You both are in our
thoughts and prayers.
Denise R. Scott, Justin and Jason
Dear Mr. Smathers,
I am so sorry to hear about Mark. He was a very sweet person who I was happy to have known.
-Angela Snyder Lennon
Linda. Laura and Carla,
My heart is with you all. I am so sorry to hear about Mark’s death. He was a great person. Linda, you raised a wonderful son. I alway’s enjoyed visiting with him when ever we came down. He was alway’s so full of life and such a sweetie.
I love you all and am here for you. Please write or e-mail me sometime.
Your Cousin,
Susan
DEAR LINDA, LAURA, AND CARLA,
I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE LOSS OF MARK. I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH WHEN WE CAME DOWN TO VISIT WHEN I WAS A CHILD. IT WAS MY FAVORITE PLACE TO GO. MARK WAS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TO ME AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE SUMMERS THAT WE SPENT TOGETHER. HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. WITH LOVE,
YOUR COUSIN DAWN
My deepest sympathies and condolesces go to the family of Mr. Mark Kettron Smathers.
It seems so unfair that death should have the power to take away someone you love. And when it happens, the thought of never again being able to talk to, laugh with, or hold your loved one can be most difficult to bear. That pain is not necessarily erased by being told that your loved one is up in heaven.
When death takes your child, your husband, your wife, your parent, your friend, it is truly what the Christian writer Paul called it, ‘the last enemy.’ There is hope. Death will not continue to rob mankind of their loved ones indefinetly.
When Jesus was on earth there was an occassion that deeply grieved him. He met a widow of Nain and saw her dead son. The Bible account tells us: ‘As [Jesus] got near the gate of the city [Nain], why, look! there was a dead man being carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. And when the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: ‘Stop weeping.’ With that he approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still, and he said: ‘Young man, I say to you, Get up!’ And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother. Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: ‘A great prophet has been raised up among us,’ and, ‘God has turned his attention to his people.” – Luke 7:12-16. Notice how Jesus was moved with pity, so that he resurrected the widow’s son! Imagine what that portends for the future!
This example was just a small foregleam of what Jesus will do in the very near future. Millions therefore can have the solid hope of seeing their loved ones alive again on earth but under very different circumstances. Yes, Jesus Christ promised that millions now dead will live again on this earth and have the prospect of remaining on it forever under peaceful, paradisaic conditions. May Mr. Smathers be among them.
May the God of comfort be with you.