Mary Vance Smith

A funeral service honoring the life of Mary Vance Smith will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 26, 2023 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Pastor Rich Varner of Grace Community United Methodist Church. A visitation with the family will be held prior to the service beginning 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

Mary Vance Smith was born April 10, 1950 in Shreveport, Louisiana to Corbie Iverson Vance and Chloe Adkins Vance and passed away peacefully Friday, January 20, 2023 at home.

The youngest of eight children, Mary graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1968 and Louisiana College in 1973. She married Stephen Alan Smith in May 1972 and they had two beautiful children. Mary was teacher who taught at Pineville High School, Parkway High School, Trinity Christian School in Texas, Evangel Christian Academy and finished her career at Caddo Magnet High School. She enjoyed gardening, and singing with the Shreveport-Bossier Choral Ensemble and her volunteer work at Common Ground Community and ThinkFirst of the Ark-la-Tex.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father; brothers, Carlton Vance and Buster Vance; sisters, Betty Vance Harrison and Helen Vance Sanders; and daughter, Emily Nicole Smith.

Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of over 50 years, Stephen Alan Smith; daughter Sarah Elizabeth Smith and husband, Weldon Stutes; grandchildren, Corbie and Marguerite Stutes; brothers, Mack Vance and Glenn Vance; sister, Bertha Vance Thomas; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and close friends.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Savory and staff at the Willis-Knighton Hospice for their care and compassion.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to Common Ground Community, 6806 Southern Ave, Shreveport, LA 71106, ThinkFirst of the Ark-La-Tex, 960 Sheridan Ave., Shreveport, LA 71104 and The Bridge Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104.