Donna Lou Gates Smith
Donna Lou Gates Smith
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Donna Gates Smith Obituary
Donna was born January 2, 1961 to the late Millard Gates and the late Olean Parker Gates. She was a native of Jackson County and had resided most of her life in Buncombe County. Mrs. Smith was a dedicated employee of Beacon Manufacturing in Swannanoa where she retired with the closing of the mill. Everyone blessed to know Donna loved her! She was a joy to her family and a delight to all children. Donna often dressed up in fun costumes and visited the schools of her children and grandchildren and brought happy memories that they will never forget. She was a wonderful cook and her delicious homemade banana pudding was a favorite of everyone. Holidays were a special time for Donna and she was most happy when she had all of her family around her to celebrate together. Going shopping was something Donna always enjoyed and she definitely looked forward to these outings. She was of the Baptist faith and in the words of her family, "Donna loved her Lord." Her presence shall be missed deeply but her precious memory will remain in our hearts forever.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Leonard and Genelle Smith.
Surviving are her devoted husband of 46 years Raymond Smith; a son, Joshua Dale Smith of Candler; a daughter, Tiffany Olean Smith of Asheville; a grandson, Joseph Smith; granddaughters, Alexis Trimnal and Albrey Trimnal; a sister, Tamera Ledbetter (Steve Harpe) of Leicester; brothers, Randy Gates (Carol) of Franklin, Michael Gates (Donna) of Oteen, Mark Gates (Lola) of Sylva and Chad Gates of Sylva; a special aunt and uncle, Mary Sue and Junior Williamson of Sylva.
The funeral service will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, July 9, 2023 in the chapel of Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Pastor Brandon Turner will be officiating. The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the funeral service.
The Smith family kindly ask that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made in Donna's memory to Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service to help assist with the funeral expenses.
Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is honored to be caring for the Smith family.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
KWebb
July 14, 2023
Oh sweet Donna, how truly blessed to have known you for the time I did. I enjoyed our conversations while you were at pace, and I can see that your family meant everything to you and the love you had for them was beyond anything I could describe.
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John hall
July 9, 2023
Donna was in my life only a short period of time just under 2 years but it took about 2 minutes of me knowing Donna for her to touch my life it's down a lake there was such complications confined to a bed and with every complication she had I never heard that woman complain about hurting about not being able to do this and do that she kept everything so positive she treated me like family from the day I met her and I consider her family then yesterday today and from now on as goes for Raymond and Josh in a world full of darkness and all the craziness Donna Lou was a light that will never burn out
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1 North Main St. 7 North Main St., Canton, NC 28716
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