Maxine Key Smith

TUSCALOOSA - Maxine Key Smith, age 90, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., passed away November 12, 2019 at Hospice of West Alabama. Services will be 1 p.m. Friday, November 15, 2019, at Ridgecrest Baptist Church with Rev. Curtis Kelley, Rev. Jim Headly and Rev. David Mills officiating. Burial will follow in Memory Hill Gardens with Norwood-Wyatt Chapel Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be two hours prior to services at the church.
Maxine Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Smith; her in-laws, Annie Web Kelly, Jimmy Smith, J.W. Smith and Annie Smith; her parents, Thomas and Shelby Key; and her brother, Tommy Key.
Survivors include her son, Rush Smith (Diane); daughter, Carol Barnette (Ed); sister, Jean Nicholson; sisters-in-law, Sarah Smith and Tammy Slater; grandchildren, Alisa Sanders (Wayne), Clay Mathews (Mary Kathryn), Kent Mathews (Mary Katherine), Tanya Webster (Matt) and Jason Barnette (Liz); great-grandchildren, Blake, Lexi, Kasen, Oliver, Eliza, Mary Martin, Owen, Madi, Presley, Lillie, Addison, Hannah, Drew and Levi; dearly loved cousins, nieces, nephews and a whole host of cherished friends of all ages.
Pallbearers include Ed Barnette, Wayne Sanders, Steve Keith, Mike Harris, Sam Hicks, Tray Wingo, Rodgers Wilson, Mike Lovejoy, Eddie Lary and Don Poole.
Honorary pallbearers are past and present members of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, members of her Sunday school class at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, her contemporaries at Life of Georgia Insurance Company, employees of The Rug Gallery, her Meadowlake neighborhood "family", Hospice of West Alabama and all of her nieces and nephews.
Donations can be made to Ridgecrest Baptist Church or Hospice of West Alabama.
Maxine Key Smith, Our mother, to paraphrase the song, went to "Rest high on that mountain, Her work on Earth was done She went to Heaven singing. She loved the Father and the Son"
Hers was a life of total commitment. She was committed to Jesus, family and her friends. She loved unconditionally. Mother's ministry, love and commitment had immeasurable influence on decades and generations of people.
Mother loved Howard and together they touched countless lives through love, faith and generosity. We all know what a pair they were. She honestly tried her best to teach him how to find the mayonnaise and T.V. remote. She had that sense of humor and was not beyond calling an Atlanta Braves batter that struck out "Stupid."
Mother loved to laugh and bring laughter and joy to everyone's life. She was known as Mother, Moms, Mawmaw, Maxine and "Mac."
No matter the name, there was her beautiful face, her uplifting spirit, her Christian strength and a presence beyond description and again her commitment.
Mother loved music and one of our memories is of her singing in a trio at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The song that stands out is "So Send I You." In the chorus Jesus says, "As the Father hath sent me, So send I You." This describes her life and commitment to her faith perfectly. I can hear her ask us now to please take that line to heart and to continue her ministry.
Amen Mother, We all love you!