Obituary of Betty Smith

Betty McDowell Smith 83, of Roanoke went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, February 18, 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Edward and Lelia Wood McDowell, sister, Eloise Minnix ,brother, J.E. McDowell, and just eleven days ago by her husband, Alvin H. Smith. Betty was a graduate of Jefferson High School and the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing. She worked as a Registered Nurse for many years. She was a longtime blood donor, a dedicated choir member at St. Marks Lutheran Church, and worked as a volunteer at the Bank of Fincastle's Fall Run for twenty eight years. This was in addition to being a loving and devoted wife to her beloved Alvin for almost 54 years. Surviving are her sisters, Rosemary Deaton of Roanoke; Dianne Gulden of Salem; brother, Ronnie McDowell of Daytona Beach, Fla.; sister-in-law, Margaret McDowell of Roanoke; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to the Track Program at Roanoke College or to St. Marks Lutheran Church. Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Friday, February 21, 2014 at St. Marks Lutheran Church 1008 Franklin Road by the Rev. James L. Armentrout. Interment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Simpson Funeral Home 5160 Peters Creek Road. 366-0707