Sara Lee Smith

Mrs. Sara Lee Gordon Smith, age 90 passed away peacefully with her family surrounding her August 24, 2016 at Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday, August 27 at Wilkinson Funeral Home. Her funeral service will be 4:00 p.m. Sunday, August 28 at Forest Hill United Methodist Church with the body lying in state 30 minutes prior to the service. Rev. Mandy Jones and Rev. Suzanne Dornsmith will officiate. The musicians are organist, M.L. Marley and pianist, Justin Snyder. Burial will follow the service at Oakwood Cemetery.

Born in Macon, Georgia on January 5, 1926, she was the daughter of the late Otis B. and Stella G. Small. After moving to Concord, she attended Concord High School and graduated in 1943. In 1946, she married E.Z. Smith of Thomasville and for 37 years, until his death, they called Concord home.

“Mama Sara”, as she was affectionately known, was employed at Cabarrus Memorial Hospital in the Admissions Department from 1960 to 1963. In 1963, she went to work for Dr. R.B. Rankin Jr. as a medical secretary and office manager in what is now known as Cabarrus Eye Center. She was employed there for 29 years retiring in 1992. During these years, she was a member of the Cabarrus County Medical Assistants Organization serving as a board member, secretary/treasurer and eventually a term as their president.

As a 3rd generation member of Forest Hill United Methodist Church, she became active at an early age. She attended Sunday school and traditional worship on a regular basis and became a member of the Methodist Women’s Organization as a teenager. Her talent with the piano led her to playing for services as a substitute and during her years at Forest Hill, she played for church services, funerals and weddings. She began singing in the adult choir as a teenager and continued for 40 years. She taught The Ladies Bible Class for 50 years, served on the Administrative Board, the Church Council, the Staff-Parish Committee, the Stewardship Committee, the Worship Committee, the Hospitality Committee and the Building Committee. SHE LOVED AND SERVED HER LORD, HER CHURCH AND HER FAMILY.

Along with her parents and husband, preceding her in death were a grandson, Quinn Benjamin Smith and a great-granddaughter, Ella Lane Bost.

Surviving members of her family are daughter, Cynthia S. Smith and husband, David of Angier; son, E.Z. Smith, III and wife, Pat of Concord; granddaughter, Audrey Lee S. Bost and husband, Ladd of Concord; grandson, E.Z. Smith, IV and wife, Janna of Charlotte; great-granddaughters, Cassidy Jo Smith of Cary, Lillian Elizabeth Bost and Devin Grace Bost of Concord; great-grandsons, E.Z. Smith V and Knox Jackson Smith of Charlotte.

Pallbearers include; Jeff Goodnight, Richard Maxwell, Alex Bethune, Jason Porter, Jeff Smith, Guy Smith and Brad Riley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Sara G. Smith to Forest Hill United Methodist Church Preschool or the Forest Hill United Methodist Church “Caregivers”, 265 Union Street, N. Concord, NC 28025.