Amy Carla Patterson Smith

Amy Carla Patterson Smith, 59, passed away at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, on September 8, 2024, due to complications of congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 2, 2024, in the Family Life Center at Byron Heritage Church, 103 West Heritage Boulevard in Byron, with Rev. Jeff Cleghorn and Rev. Josh Bizzell officiating. Family will greet friends after the service.
Born in Fort Valley on September 13, 1964, Amy was the fifth child and fourth daughter of James Carlton Patterson and Sandra Adalyn Goss Patterson. She graduated in 1982 from Westfield High School as a member of the first graduating class that attended Westfield from first grade through twelfth grade. Since music and sports were her passions up until the time she graduated, she was always involved in one or the other. She had a beautiful soprano voice so she sang solos and participated in duets, trios, and choirs both at home and school. She sang in the girl's trio at Westfield and was in her church choir at Byron. Amy and her sister, Gay, sang duets at church, school, weddings, and social events. She was also trained in ballet, dancing, and gymnastics. Since sports were her second favorite passion she played basketball and softball at school and on recreation teams in Byron. She also ran track and was a Vespidaette at Westfield. After graduation, Amy had to have an operation for scoliosis and spent nearly a year in a body cast. Then she worked at Natalia's Restaurant and taught dancing lessons at several dance studios. In 1986, she married Van Mark Smith and they moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area where Van was an American Airlines pilot and she became a full time homemaker. When her husband retired, they owned and operated a sandwich shop and a smoke shop. After her husband's death, Amy worked as a shuttle bus driver at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and later on at several restaurants. Her last job was at Pizza Hut in Dallas, Texas.
Amy is preceded in death by her husband, Van Mark Smith, her daddy, James Carlton Patterson, her sister, Kimberly P "Kim" Flippen, her father in law, John William Smith, and her great niece, Shiane Lacey Flippen.
Amy is survived by her ten children, Vanna Smith, Van Mark Smith, Vianessa Smith, Varian Smith, Valence Smith, Valon Smith, Vivacia Smith, Vanson Smith, Vicar Smith, and Vondrais Smith, all of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area; several grandchildren; her mother, Sandra Goss Patterson, her brother, James Carlton "Pat" (Kelly) Patterson Jr., her sisters, Pamela P. "Pam" Strader and Gay P. (Paul) Iannuzzi, all of Byron; her mother in law, Mary Jane Duke of Perry; her sister in law, Monta Smith of Byron; her brothers in law, Milo, Todd, Dihl, and Lloyd Smith, all in the local area; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Byron Heritage Church, P O Box 6, Byron, GA 31008; or to Cleghorn Music Ministries Inc., 406 Wrasling Way, Bonaire, GA 31005; or to The American Heart Association, 5962 Zebulon Rd., PMB 359, Macon, GA 31210. Rooks Funeral Home in Byron is in charge of arrangements.