Mary Grace Bell Smith

Mary Grace Bell Smith, 91, of Eden, our loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, entered her heavenly home on Monday evening, May 29, 2023, surrounded by her beloved family.

A funeral service will be held at 2pm Friday, June 2, 2023, at Fair Funeral Home Chapel in Eden with burial to follow at Overlook Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service, from 1-2pm. For those unable to attend the service, it will be livestreamed on Fair Funeral Home and Cremations Facebook page. The family will receive friends at other times at the home of her daughter Cynthia, 1731 Price Grange Rd, Stoneville, NC 27048.

Mama Smith, as she was affectionately known to so many literally around the world, was born March 29, 1932 in Ridgeway, VA, to the late Joseph Walter Bell and Mamie Belton Bell. She was a devoted member of Ridgeway Church of Christ. Our mother was a dedicated homemaker and a precious mother to twelve children. She loved her bluegrass music and played the guitar by ear. She loved to hear her family sing together a cappella. Mama was so proud of being a 1949 graduate of Ridgeway High School. She was one of the last surviving members of her class.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Larry Smith of Eden, NC, Cynthia Smith (Tony London) of Stoneville, NC, Shirley Price (Gary) of Stoneville, NC, Janet Nunn (James) of Hanover, PA, Nancy Bartlett (Rex) of Stoneville, NC, Billie Jean Snuggs (Lee) of Albemarle, NC, Mark Smith (Lita) of Madison, AL, Rosemary Sams (Doug) of Suffolk, VA, Wayne Smith of Washington, D.C.; (grand)daughter, Angela Smith of Eden, NC; son-in-law, David Portner of Midlothian, VA; fifteen grandchildren: Jessie Smith, Jamie Smith, Lauran Combs McClure (Barry), Carter Combs (Renee), Meredith Combs Williams (Bubba), Amanda Price Ormsby (Robbie), Kari Price White (Joey), Ashley Portner Holzer (Nathaniel), Rebecca Portner, Jack Nunn (Julia), David Bartlett, Witt Snuggs, Andrew Watson (Rebecca), Mary Sams Catlin (Evan), Ryan Sams; fourteen great-grandchildren: Savannah Kallam, Stella, Kate, and Miles McClure, Bear and Campbell Williams, Elin and Vera Ormsby, Ragan and Joseph “Tripp” White, Whitley and John Luke Watson, Adam and Elizabeth Catlin; special daughter: Julie Priddy of Eden, NC; numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Mama is preceded in death by her husband, William Elbert Smith; beloved children: Scott Smith and Judy Portner; three precious grandsons: Marvin “Trey” Sams, Smith William Snuggs, and James Nunn; six brothers: Ed, John, Walter, Ben, Dan and David Bell.

Flowers are welcome but donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or the Children’s Tumor Foundation, PO Box 7247, Philadelphia, PA 19170-0001.

Special thanks to the loving and devoted care given our mother at UNC-Rockingham ICU. Thank you for loving Mama.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com