Suzannah Elise Smith

Suzannah Smith
Taylors, SC
Suzannah Elise Smith, age 20, of Taylors, South Carolina, was welcomed into the arms of
Jesus after a life marked by courage, joy, faith, and fierce love for others.
Suzannah is survived by her loving parents, Stephen and Melissa Smith; her brother Joshua
Smith; her sister Kaylyn Smith; her "Grandma" Elizabeth Smith; her "Papa" Bob Ellis (Rita); and
many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who were deeply impacted by her life. She was
preceded in death by her "Gramma" Brenda Ellis, her "Poppa" Paul Smith, her "Nai Nai" Sylvia Ellis, and her cousin Timmy Smith, all of whom she now rejoices with in heaven.
From a young age, Suzannah faced significant chronic health challenges that required
numerous surgeries and extended hospital stays. Yet those who knew her never defined her by illness. Instead, they knew her for her contagious cheerfulness, her quick wit, and the
unmistakable joy she carried. Suzannah made sure everyone knew that her joy was because of Jesus. Her faith was not quiet or hidden-it was the reason she handled her medical
complexities with such grace, and she wanted everyone to know Him. Suzannah was a true go-getter. Once she set her mind on something, nothing was going to stop her. She planned to become a nurse and was eagerly looking forward to starting nursing school in the fall, desiring to care for others with the same compassion she had so often received.
She loved babies and children and was a favorite babysitter for many. Her natural warmth,
attentiveness, and playful spirit made her especially beloved by little ones.
Within her family, Suzannah's personality shone brightly. Joshua may have been the oldest, but
Suzannah made sure everyone knew that the first-child personality belonged to her-and
Joshua quietly stayed in the background, happily letting her have that role. Still, when needed, he had no problem reminding her that he was, in fact, the big brother. A couple of years ago,
Suzannah asked Joshua what it was like to be Josh. After a pause, he replied,
"Well, imagine a little annoying gnat flying around your face. Now imagine two " -a response that perfectly captured their sibling dynamic and left Suzannah both amused and appropriately offended.
Suzannah often complained that her baby sister Kaylyn received special treatment simply
because she was the baby of the family. Suzannah would have happily claimed that role herself if Kaylyn had been willing to relinquish it, but Kaylyn wisely kept it to herself.
One favorite childhood memory shared by the family was when Suzannah and Kaylyn teamed
up to drag Joshua down the hallway by his footie pajamas, a moment that still brings laughter and perfectly reflects the spirited bond the three siblings shared.
Suzannah loved sweet-talking her dad into anything she needed, and it rarely took much for him to cave. Through countless hospital visits, Suzannah was always mindful of how much time her mom would need to take off work. She once scheduled two surgeries very close together to minimize the disruption to her mom's schedule, even though that choice would be extremely difficult on her own body.
Suzannah loved her friends with fierce loyalty and never hesitated to give advice when they
needed it-whether they wanted it or not. Everything she offered was rooted in care, honesty, and deep affection. Above all else, Suzannah loved Jesus. Her greatest desire was that others would know Him and understand that He was the reason she carried herself with such joy, strength, and grace through her life's many challenges. Her life was a testimony of faith lived boldly and beautifully.
Psalm 139:13-16
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the
depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every
one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
~The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 03, 2026 from 9AM until 11AM at Abner Creek Baptist Church. Funeral services will begin at 11AM following the visitation. Interment will be held in the church cemetery.~
Online condolences can be made at https://www.striblingfuneralhome.net
Funeral arrangements were trusted to Stribling Funeral Home, 118 W. Main Street Duncan, SC 29334, (864) 439-5645.