Mary Esther Smith

Died: Feb. 19, 2013

NEWLAND, N.C. -- Mary Esther Smith, age 72, of Banner Elk, passed away Tuesday at the Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee.

A native of Avery County, she was born Feb. 9, 1941, a daughter of the late Marion and Annie Mae Harmon Horney.

She was a member of Elk Valley Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir. She also attended Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, where she was a Sunday School teacher.

Mary enjoyed reading, word puzzles, flower gardening and listening to bluegrass gospel music.

Along with her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her husbands: Earl Buchanan and Albert Smith; sister: Lucille Smith; and brothers: John and Joe Horney.

Mary has left to cherish her memory her daughter: Deborah Lynn Christian of Banner Elk; sisters: Wilma Blankenship of Gastonia, Hazel Douthat and husband, David, of Greeneville, Tenn., and Gladys Farmer and husband, Allen, of Banner Elk; brothers: Dennis Horney and wife, Janice, Dallas Horney and wife, Kitty, and Jimmy Horney and wife, Kathy, all of Banner Elk; grandchildren: Heather Nichole Christian and boyfriend, Joey Kidd, of Minneapolis, Minn.; grandson: Michael Christian and girlfriend, Hannah Walters, of Minneapolis; a special friend: Angie Miller; and a sister-in-law: Inez Horney of Banner Elk.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in Newland.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Elk Valley Baptist Church, P.O. Box 626, Banner Elk, NC 28604.

Words of comfort and memories may be shared with the family and viewed at http://www.rsfh.net.