Totsy Hale

Eula May "Totsy" Smith Hale, of Hixson, left this earth for heaven on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, at the age of 102. Mrs. Hale was a member of Woodland Heights Baptist Church and former member of Middle Valley Baptist Church. She served as organist for 25 years at Woodland Heights Baptist Church. Mrs. Hale was also an organist for local funeral homes and she taught piano for many years. She was in the 1931 graduating class at Central High School and attended Edmondson Business College. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alonzo Mathis and Effie Anetta Allen-Mathis; her first and second husbands, the Rev. William Luke Smith Sr. and Joseph Earl Hale; sisters, Mabel Mathis, Della Mercurio (Charles), Eva Shearer (Claude) of Cordele Ga., Alma Bisplinghoff (Henry) of Orlando Fla.; brother, Alonzo F. Mathis; and niece, Gladys Forgey. Mrs. Hale is survived by sons, William Luke Smith Jr. (Kay) of Soddy-Daisy and James Alonzo Smith (Shirley) of Chickamauga, Ga.; one stepson, James E. Hale (Jean), Chattanooga; grandsons, Major William L. Smith III USMC ret. (Liz) McKinney, Texas, Steven Tyler Smith (Heather), Larry W. Maner (Kathy), David R. Smith (Deb); granddaughters, Diane Ridley (Jim), Lyndsay Smith-Sneckenberger (Mike), Nancy Allen (Carl), Kim Peake; step-granddaughters, Dawn Lovell, Gina Milita; step-grandson, David E. Hale; great-grandchildren, Travis Smith, Tanner Smith, Evie Sneckenberger, Luke Smith, Cass Sneckenberger, Jaime Carson (Tanner); nieces, Norma Turton of Cordele, Ga., Norma Day of Atlanta, Ga., Mary LaVeda Walker of Pearl, Miss., Louise Cross; nephews, Dr. C. Wayne Shearer, Rev. Bill Deakins of Cordele and Charles Forgey (Vicki). The family expresses special appreciation to granddaughter Diane Ridley for her attentive care and love. The family says "thank you" to the staff of Red Bank Life Care Center who always exhibited kind, gentle, patient, competent, respectful and caring service. It was never just a job, it is a calling for them. Services to celebrate the life and "home going" of "Totsy" will be held Sunday, Nov. 29 at 2:30 p.m. at Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace with Rev. Bill Deakins officiating. Friends and loved ones are invited to the visitation on today, Nov. 28, from 4-6 p.m. and one hour before the service on Sunday. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Chattanooga. Visit www.lanefh.com to share condolences. Arrangements by Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace, 877-3524.