Nancy Lee Smith, of Huntsville, Ala., went home to be with the Lord on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. She was 77.
Born May 2, 1942, to Billy M. and Mary Ellen Bebout, of Morgantown, she was a 1960 graduate of Morgantown High School and a 1964 graduate of West Virginia University in Morgantown. She was among the university’s first graduating class to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education with a special focus on journalism and English.
At WVU, Nancy met and married the love of her life, Richard W. “Dick” Smith, at Spruce Street Methodist Church in Morgantown on Dec. 19, 1962. She taught high school at East Fairmont High in Fairmont, before her husband was commissioned by the U.S. Army in 1965.
During his years of service, Nancy was a homemaker, a social worker in the Anniston, Ala., area, a Bible school and public school substitute teacher on Army posts and in nearby communities from Kansas to Germany, an outreach and social activities coordinator for a retirement community in Aurora, Colo., a Precept Bible Studies teacher for more than 30 years and an active leader in the Women’s Missionary Union organization.
She and her husband also were active members of Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF) from 1975 until they retired from military service in 1992. She was a longtime member of Capshaw Baptist Church in Capshaw, Ala., and at the time of her passing was a member and active figure at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Huntsville.
She is survived by her husband, Dick; their son, Rick Smith, of Huntsville, and Rick’s wife, Heather Cross; their daughter, Mary Margaret “Peggy” McWilliams, of Leavenworth, Kan., and Peggy’s husband, Robert C. McWilliams IV; and five grandchildren, Curry McWilliams, Abby Higgins, Rebecca McWilliams, Rachael McWilliams and Declan Smith. She also is survived by her sisters, Eloise White, Rebecca Flack and Elizabeth Bebout; and her brother, Rick Bebout, all of Morgantown.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Cynthia Harman, Susan Taylor and Peggy Bebout; and her brothers, Jim Bebout and Bill Bebout.
Visitation will be held at Mount Zion Baptist Church Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, with a funeral service to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks those wishing to commemorate Nancy’s life to make a contribution to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering at imb.org/lottie-moon-christmas-offering at Mount Zion Baptist Church. Nancy will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington. Berryhill Funeral Home, Huntsville, Ala., assisted the family.
Condolences: berryhillfh.com
