Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Grenada Memorial Gardens for Sarah Althea Wilson Smith, 91, of Grenada, who died on Friday, Nov. 4. All friends are welcome for visitation from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday evening, Nov. 11, at McKibben & Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada.
Sarah lived an absolutely beautiful and wonderful life. She was the epitome of a true Southern Belle. She had three goals in life. One, to love her husband, Frank B. Smith Jr., with everything in her and make him happy, which she did amazingly well for 54 ½ years until his death in 2007. Two, to love her daughter, Pamela Ann Smith Rainey, with every fiber of her being and to try to make her into a lady. Three, to love her grandbabies and their spouses and children, and spoil them as much as she could. They include, Matthew Micheal Rainey, his wife, Vanessa, and their children, Maddox Ayden Rainey and Mckinley Novah Rainey; Andrew Frank Rainey, his wife, Michelle, and their children, Aubrey Faith Rainey (2015) and Beau Rainey, and Krystina Noelle Rainey Chu, her husband, Aaron, and their children, Berkley Hearin Chu and Jordy Fisher Chu. She succeeded in spoiling them all and loving them with her whole heart.
Sarah was born in Cascilla, the daughter of Mike and Pauline Arbuckle Wilson, but she lived her life in Carrollton with her brother, Mike Wilson, and her two sisters, Joyce Windham (Jerry) and Mary Jane Blair (Claver), before marrying and moving to Grenada. She attended the school of nursing in Grenada and only lacked one set of clinicals to graduate, but true love took her away from that and she became the best housewife and mother ever. If you ever had the pleasure to enter her home, you never went away hungry or feeling unloved. She would cook a full meal at the drop of a hat.
Sarah also had a super green thumb. She could grow almost anything in her yard. She always had beautiful flowers and trees. She also had a super productive garden that she loved to work in every year. During the winter months, she would put her other talents to use. She would crochet afghans for the couch and beds, then she would put her needle to work and make quilts for the babies and herself. They were masterpieces that she created over many hours with her own hands. On most Sundays, you could find her sitting on the back row of the church, usually at Central Baptist Church or Elliott Baptist Church. She was very unassuming and felt that she couldn’t sing well, but that just wasn’t true. That voice may have been softer than most while singing, but it was beautiful.
Throughout her life, Sarah worked hard and never complained about helping her family. She picked cotton when she was very young, worked at Pennaco Hosiery for many years, sewed at Kellwood, drove mail trucks with Frank and simply shined at being a wife, a mother, and completely beamed as a grandmother. She loved watching Emeril Lagasse on TV and also learning how to cook things, grow things, make things and just be a crafty gal.
Her family was Sarah’s life. She had the best sister-in-law, Elaine Smith (John). The nieces and nephews were so special to her too: Shirley Windham Wiltshire, Wayne Windham (Doris), Jimmy Windham, Gary Blair (Johanna), Janet Blair Bates (Daryl), Paula Blair Robbins (Doye) and Jody Smith (Angie). Life with family is what made her the happiest.
After being without the love of her life for the past 15 years, Sarah was ready to make that final trip to her eternal home and see his beautiful smile welcome her back into his arms. She did it peacefully with her daughter by her side holding her hand and telling her to give kisses and hugs to everyone when she got home.
If you know any of Sarah’s family members, add a prayer of comfort for them. Thank God for giving us this beautiful soul for almost 92 years. Her legacy will continue on in how her grandsons open doors for ladies and how they know what good food really is; how her granddaughter makes beautiful quilts with her own hands and how she fixes a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner; how they all love the Lord and how her daughter knows just when to be a lady and how to work for what she wants in this life.
There will be tears for the hole that is left in these lives, but the richness that Sarah, Momma, Granny, NanNan shared with all of us will make huge smiles appear anytime she is thought of in this world. Her love goes on in all her beautiful great grandchildren. She will see two of them in heaven and it will be a beautiful reunion.
Flowers are always appreciated, but if you would like to donate, the family requests memorials be directed to the Aubrey Faith Rainey Fund for Biliary Atresia Research in Houston, Texas.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com
McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada is in charge of arrangements.
