Ellen Frances Roe Stewart Smith, 93, went to be with her LORD on Sunday evening with granddaughter, Whitney Ball and great granddaughter, Laura Ball Smith at her side. She has been a courageous, great patient since July 7th when she fell in her yard while gardening and broke her upper arm. Her care and stay at JMH, Abingdon Nursing and Rehab, at her home with family and Hospice Care and our two wonderful part-time sitters has been a blessing for all.
Ellen is preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert Hayden and Martha Jane Roe of Greendale, VA; brothers, Charles, Tom and Hal Roe; sisters, Kathleen Galliher, Ruby Smith, Audrey Clark and Jessie Galliher; her husband of 23 years, Aaron A. Stewart and husband of 17 years, Walter W. Smith; special great granddaughter, Katelyn Elizabeth Ball who went to be with Jesus after five weeks.
She is survived by brother, Roland Roe of Abingdon, VA; sister, Grace Mercer of Greenville, SC; son, Jefferson H. Stewart (Patricia) of Tullahoma, TN; daughters, Ann Jessee (Ron) of Washington Co., VA., Patsy Barker (Don) of Buchanan, TN, Peggy Jones (Tom) of Bluff City, TN, and Leslie Bobbit (Jason) of Blountville, TN; eleven wonderful grandchildren and their spouses; 23 “great” grandchildren, including Ethan Smith serving a Tour of Duty in Iraq; many nieces, nephews, good friends and neighbors.
Ellen graduated from Greendale High School in 1942 and went to teach school in Saltville, VA at age 17. She then married in 1945 and lived in Bristol VA and TN until 2007 when she became a resident of Oakhill Estates in Abingdon, VA.
She worked for the American Thread Co. and Bigelow Sanford Carpet Co. and retired from Raytheon after 20 yrs. there.
She had attended church in her community all her life- Green Spring Presbyterian, Fellowship Chapel, First Christian in Bristol and Providence Community Church in Abingdon.
She loved reading, sewing, crafts and gardening- recently made pillowcase dresses for children in Haiti. But most of all, she loved Jesus, her family, friends and neighbors.
Instead of flowers if you should so choose, please consider donating to a brain Surgery Fund for her Great Grandson, Andrew Vandenberg, “24”, who will be having this surgery on Oct. 24th to hopefully rid him of seizers he has had for his whole life so he can live life on his own with God’s continued help. Donations may be sent to his Grandmother, Ann Jessee, 15111 Old Jonesboro Rd., Bristol, VA 24202. And we ask for your prayers for this event. Many thanks.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, October 11, 2018, at 2 p.m. in the Frost Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. John A. Thrasher, Pastor Stan Hill and Pastor Peter Vandenberg officiating. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Bristol, Va. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service Thursday at the funeral home.
Grandsons and great grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
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