Obituary of Pastor Mitchell Smiley

Bryson City Dateline Pastor Mitchell Smiley, age 49, of the Balltown Community in Bryson City, NC went home to be with the Lord on October 21, 2010 after an extended illness. He was an ordained Baptist Preacher and faithfully served the Lord by preaching God's Word for the past 20 years. He was the current Pastor of Bethabara Baptist Church in Cherokee, NC and was beloved by untold numbers of people in the communities of Swain County, where he had touched many lives. He was a native and lifelong resident of Bryson City and Swain County. He uplifted the name of Jesus until his death and gave God the glory for all things in his life. As 2 Timothy says, he fought a good fight, he finished his course, and he kept the faith. He was preceded in death by paternal grandparents, Ernest and Essie Smiley, and maternal grandfather, Willard Hardin. He is survived by his loving wife of more than 28 years, Patricia Ball Smiley; son, Aaron Mitchell Smiley and wife Sarah, and grandson, Ayden Mitchell Smiley all of the home; parents, Bill and Mary Smiley of Bryson City; sisters and brothers-in-law, Vicky and Earl King of Bryson City, Mitzi and Buck Brookshear of Johnson City, TN; brother and sister-in-law, Hayden and Rhonda Smiley of Andrews, NC; Grandmother, Fannie Hardin of Andrews; Father and Mother-in-law, Charles Ray and Betty Ball; and brother-in-law, Ronnie Ball; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews, and a loving and supportive church family. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 25, 2010 at Bethabara Baptist Church. Brothers Eddie Sherrill, Tony Cochran, and Charles Ray Ball will officiate with burial in the King-Smiley Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 - 9 p.m. Sunday, October 24, 2010 at the church. Crisp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. An online register is available at www.crispfuneralhome.org