SMITH, Mrs. RACHEL - was born November 18, 1880 and departed this life December 19, 1963 at the age of 83 years, 1 month and 1 day. She was the daughter of W. R. BLANKENSHIP.

She was united in marriage to R. O. SMITH in December 1899. To this union was born 6 children, 2 boys and 4 girls. One daughter preceded her in death. She is survived by 3 daughters, Mrs. G. S. OWENS of Elk Valley, Tennessee, Mrs. B. F. OWENS of Elk Valley, Tennessee and Mrs. E. G. BRADEN of Cincinnati, Ohio; 2 sons, TRUMAN SMITH of Newcomb, Tennessee and FRANK SMITH of LaFollette, Tennessee; 20 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; 1 brother, CHESTER BLANKENSHIP of Jellico, Tennessee and a host of other relatives and friends.

She professed a hope in Christ at an early age and joined Ozion Church, later bringing her letter to Lower Capuchin when the church was organized there in 1923. She lived a devoted Christian life as long as she lived, always ready to work, to help to get people to turn to the Lord and be saved and led many souls to Christ.

Her husband died July 19, 1936. When they were raising their family, they were never too busy to go to church. Always attending unless sickness prevented and was a mother to the community where she lived, doing good deeds to help in time of need. The weather never got to bad, day or night, for her to go and take care of the sick. Her vacancy can not be filled in the church or community. We have seen her so many times in her last days get happy and shout until she would have to sit down and still set[sit] and tell the love of Jesus and plead with sinners to accept her Christ and on her death bed she begged people to accept her Christ and meet her in heaven.

To know "Aunt Rachel" as so many called her was to love her. She attended the Stanfill Church for about 25 years and this letter is sent from this church as the Lower Capuchin Church is no longer active. This Church loved "Aunt Rachel" as much as any member in it and wanted her obituary to be printed. She always enjoyed going to this Association and always went as long as health permitted. She told her children not to grieve after her, she had a better home to go to than here. We feel the children has lost a wonderful mother, but all claim a hope in Christ and can meet her in heaven, where no partings come. We feel our loss is heaven's gain. Stanfill Church.

(Source: Minutes of the West Union Assoc. of United Baptist Churches, 1964, p.13-14).