Edith Brown Smith

Edith Brown Smith, age 99 of Asheboro died Monday, July 11, 2011 at Universal Healthcare in Ramseur. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:00 at Neighbors Grove Wesleyan Church with Rev. Doug Dennis and Rev. Randy Haithcock officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall. Mrs. Smith's body will lie in state 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Edith was born in Asheboro, NC. She was the 10th child in a family of 14 children, the daughter of John R. H. Brown and Dora G. Brown. She graduated from Asheboro High School, one of only three of her family to do so. Edith attended Neighbors Grove Wesleyan Church since birth and played the piano and organ the church continuously from the time she was 16 years old until shortly before her 96th birthday, a total of almost 80 years. She had always been active in the church and faithful to the church. She taught Sunday School classes for many years and was always willing to undertake any task to assist in the mission of the church. Her parents once mortgaged their home to keep the church solvent. Religion and Neighbors Grove Wesleyan church provided the central foundation of her life. She spent a tremendous amount of time studying her Sunday School lesson and it gave her great pleasure. The same was true with her music and she played her organ daily and also sometimes played the piano. She read the Bible (both the Old Testament and the New Testament at the same time) and used tapes and CD's to listen to it. She also memorized a number of Bible chapters (including John, Chapter 14) and many verses. Edith retained her health and her mental acuity. She was a remarkable woman. Her beloved husband Clarence died in November 1981 and her oldest son Michael died at 11 months old with pneumonia. Her family consist of sons and their wives, Philip and Catherine Smith, Martin and Martha Smith, and their children Kyle Smith and his wife Angie and their children Kyla and Selah, Derek Smith and his wife Kristie and their children Meredith, Molly and Madelyn; daughter and her husband Deborah and Roney Crater and their children Bobbi Bolen and her husband Edward and their children Aleecia and her son Dakota, Maegan and her daughter Taylor and Jessica. Memorials may be made to Neighbors Grove Wesleyan Church, 1928 N. Fayetteville St., Asheboro, NC 27203. Arrangements by Pugh Funeral Home, Asheboro