Helen Marie "Nanny" Smith

Services for Helen Marie “Nanny” Smith, 94, of Gilmer will be Friday, November 3, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Gilmer with Reverend Richard Laster officiating. Interment will follow services at Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. Mrs. Smith passed away on Monday, October 30, 2017 in Longview.

Mrs. Smith was born November 14, 1922 in Upshur County to the late Carl George Loyd and Estelle Bland Loyd. Helen was the matriarch of the Smith family and always made sure they stayed together. She was a very confident and strong willed woman. Mrs. Smith was working in her yard, trimming trees and doing housework well into her 90’s. Nanny was a wonderful cook and loved to cook for all her family during the holidays. She didn’t want anyone to leave hungry. Mrs. Smith was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother and homemaker. She will truly be missed by all the loving family and friends she leaves behind.

She is survived by her son David Smith; daughter-in-law Melinda Smith; five grandchildren Micheal Smith, Jr. and wife Kellie, Marc Smith and wife Cyndi, Madison Smith and wife Kikki, Pamela Ray and husband Don and Sara Smith; 12 great grandchildren Hannah Smith, Joseph Smith, Dylan Smith, Kaitlyn Smith, Mitchell Smith, Matthew Lucas Smith, Sabrina Smith, Heather Smith, Celby Knapp, Cade Smith, Cody Smith and Colton Ray; 9 great great grandchildren Kyrstan Butler, Jensen Butler, Secily Smith-Gage, Ezra Valle, Noah Smith, Jude Smith, Makayla Knapp, James Knapp and Eric Brown as well as many other loving family and friends.

Helen is preceded in death her husband Louie Smith in 2010; her son Micheal Smith, Sr. in 2014; sister Irene Martin and grandson, Matthew Smith in 1989.