Judy Elaine McLester Smith, 75, of Locust passed away Thursday, August 30, 2018 in Atrium Health-Stanly, Albemarle.
Her funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, September 1, 2018 in the Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care Chapel in Locust with Rev. Fred Carpenter Jr. and Rev. Lou Pfeiffer officiating.
Burial will follow in the Running Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will greet friends briefly following the graveside service. Mrs. Smith will lie in state in the Funeral Home Chapel from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. prior to the service for those wishing to pay their respects.
Born March 29, 1943 in Stanly County, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Arthur Joseph McLester and Dessie Almond McLester.
She was a retired employee of Piedmont Behavioral Health and a member of Main Street United Methodist Church. She enjoyed making bears for Victory Junction and made over 500 after her retirement.
Mrs. Smith is survived by her husband of 56 years, Gareth Dale Smith, daughter Sandie Smith Upchurch and husband H. E. “Tony” Upchurch Jr., brother Jerry M. McLester, grandson Joseph L. Upchurch and wife Kaitlyn, and great-grandson Stryker Ray Upchurch.
She was preceded in death by daughters Tammy Elaine Smith and Susan Smith Honeycutt.
The family requests that memorials be made to Hospice of Stanly and the Uwharrie, 960 N First St., Albemarle, NC 28001 or to Community Home Care and Hospice, 1024 Albemarle Rd., Suite 904, Troy, NC 27371.
Members of the family would like to thank the staff at Hope Medical, the staff at Atrium Health-Stanly, Hospice of Stanly and the Uwharrie and Community Home Care and Hospice of Troy.