Mrs. Thelma Pate Smith, age 88, went to her heavenly home on January 5, 2023.
Thelma was born on May 5, 1934, to the late Letha & Hobert Pate.
She graduated from Science Hill High School and attended East Tennessee State University.
She was a member of Harvest Time Baptist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband Floyd Smith, sisters; Dorothy Robertson, Hazel Jolley Jackson, & Glessie Church; brother, Rev. Arnold (Bud) Pate; nieces, Linda Wilson, Brenda Church, & Genevieve Robertson.
She is survived by nieces, Peggy Blackwell, Cindy Harris, Dr. Elain Pugh, & Debbie Oliver; nephews, Rev. Steve Pate & Ralph Church.
A special thank you to her very devoted nephew-in-law, William Bill Wilson, who ran errands for her, took her to her Saturday beauty shop appointments and went by almost every day. Her awesome neighbor Wilma, who brought her hot meals and was always there for her.
Thank you also to the staff of Lakebridge Rehab & Nursing home for all their help.
A private celebration of her life will be held later with her close family members and friends.
Please make any memorial donations to the Greenville Shriners Hospital in Greenville, SC, where Thelma spent some of her young years.
Thelma was a wonderful woman who had a heart for the kids she watched over many years.
She loved her “kids” but always guided them with a no nonsense discipline….the stories our sons Ryan and Tyler always brought home were precious from the funny things that happened to what they had for lunch…there we’re always Thelma stories many times in a week.
They loved their Thelma! and we did to. When our boys left our home an moved away from Tennessee they still managed to find time when back to make a Thelma visit!
She will be missed!
Love from the Blazer’s
01/10/2023
Shannon Bismark
Thelma kept me and my siblings when we were younger. She always looked out for our best interests and was such a sweet lady. I even lived behind her several years later with my husband, and we visited her when we could. Condolences to her family.
Ms. Thelma kept my son Jordan from the time he was 6mos old until he started school. Such a sweet lady
