Jackson Funeral Service - Edna Parker Smith

Edna P. Smith, 86 of Hendersonville went to be with the Lord on Saturday June 13, 2009 at Pardee Hospital.

Born in Hickory NC she was the daughter of the late Daniel and Eva Russell Parker and the wife of the late Chris Smith Sr. and was preceded in death by two sisters and six brothers.

She grew up in Canton and was a 1943 graduate of Bethel High School. After graduation she became a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ in the Bethlehem- Fairfield Shipyards in Baltimore MD, building the Liberty Ships for our troops during WWII. After the war she raised a family, enriching them with the values of the Golden Rule and you reap what you sow. She was a wonderful homemaker. She loved to cook, her dinners were a feast for everyone. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were inspirational and plentiful with all her families gathering together to celebrate the holidays and give thanks to God for our blessings. Those occasions will be greatly missed. She retired from J.C Penney in 2006 at the age of 83 for health reasons after 47 years serving customers in the ladies wear department many of whom would ask for her by name.

She was a member of Living Water Baptist Church. She was an inspiration and hero to all who knew her, many refered to her as Nanny. She was always full of life, never ending energy and a friend to everyone. She always saw the good in people and would give a helping hand to anyone who needed it. She had a passion for flowers an genealogy. She loved all flowers but azalea’s and wildflowers were her favorite. Her yard was a portrait of colors from the collage of her hard work. She was an avid animal lover and shared her home with 8 beloved cats.

Survivors include two sons, Chris R. Smith Jr. and his wife Helen of East Flat Rock and Stephen Smith of Hendersonville, one brother Charles Parker of Hendersonville, five grandchildren, Brian Smith and his wife Shannon, Brigitte Jones and her husband David, Elisha Smith, James Smith, and Christian Smith, and seven great grand children.

A funeral Service will be held Tuesday at 2pm at the Chapel in the pines of Jackson Funeral Service. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Monday Night from 6 to 7:30 pm at the funeral home.