Mary Cooley Smith

She was a native of Rome, Georgia, and the daughter of the late Lewis Reading and Annabel Rhodes Smith.  She grew up in New Jersey and Massachusetts, moving to Davidson, North Carolina in 1940.  She was a graduate of Brown University, Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School and Presbyterian School of Christian Education.  She served as Director of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville, North Carolina, First Presbyterian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee, First Presbyterian Church, Winchester, Virginia, and First Presbyterian Church, Concord, North Carolina.

She was a resident of the Givens Estates United Methodist Retirement Community for a number of years.

She is survived by her sister Clara Childs of Asheville; 6 nieces, 6 nephews, 16 grandnieces and 13 grandnephews.

Memorial Services will be at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, April 16, 1999, in the Thomas Coke Chapel of Givens Estate conducted by the Rev. Oscar Dowdle, Rev. David Morgan and Rev. Ann Morgan.  Burial will be at a later date in Davidson, North Carolina.

Memorials may be made to the Givens Estate Supplemental Fund, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803, or to the New Hope Presbyterian Church, 3070 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is in charge of arrangements.