To the blessed union of Norman and Anna (Talton) Smith were born a set of twins on February 16, 1929 in Wilmot, Arkansas, one of whom was Effie Lee Smith, fondly referred to by her children, grandchildren and great grand children as Momma. At the tender age of 7, she moved from Wilmot to North Little Rock, AR in the neighborhood of Tie Plant with her Uncle and Aunt Fred and Josephine (Talton) White who continued to raise her and her sisters after the death of their mother Anna in 1939. Momma lived in the Tie Plant neighborhood for 83 years. She dedicated her life to Christ at an early age by joining with the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorate of N.K. Curry and remained a faithful member attending services until her health no longer allowed her to do so.
Momma attended Scipio A. Jones School, as an all-Black school, students attended from first grade through twelfth grade. While a student there Momma was known as “Smile”, she was the Class Reporter, in the Glee Club, the Home Economics Club and Girl Reserve. Momma graduated high school in 1947. She briefly attended college and married Hosie Lee Williams, Sr. To this union were born three children, Carlotta Gwen, Delorce Caroll and Hosie Lee, Jr.
Momma was a creative person who sewed her own clothes and played the piano from an early age including for her high school and her church. Momma was devoted to her family and a faithful caregiver. Her love language was acts of service whether she was driving family members to Talton Family reunions or caring for her dear Auntie Josephine White and brother Arthur Gill until their deaths, she was faithful in those good deeds. Momma made sure she always provided loving care to her family, whether checking in on her elders in person and by phone or making her lemon meringue and sweet potato pies as a treat for her grandkids. In her later years, her commitment to family was returned as she enjoyed traveling across the country to interesting places with them.
Effie worked as a domestic for the Fisher family for 15 years until Carlotta convinced her to go to work for Franklin Electric in July of 1973. She retired from Franklin Electric in September of 1986. Effie was a dedicated, diligent and hard worker as well as a lifelong learner. She instilled the importance of education in her family and led by example by obtaining her certification in Word Processing from South Central Career College in 1987 as well as her certification in Clerk Typing from Pulaski Vo-Tech School in 1988. Momma leveraged her newly obtained certifications to work as a Clerk Typist and Telemarketing Representative at the Heifer Project International and the Arkansas Gazette Newspaper.
Momma took her Heavenly rest on Thursday, July 25, 2019 joining her beloved family members who preceded her in death. Her parents, Norman and Anna (Talton) Smith. Her aunt and uncle (adopted parents), Fred and Josephine (Talton) White. Her husband, Hosie Lee Williams, Sr. Her sisters, Ethel Lee (Smith) Russell and Annie Mae (Smith) Dobson. Her brother, Arthur Gill. Her daughter, Carlotta Gwen (Williams) Davis and her granddaughter, Delorce Carol (Williams) Anderson.
In addition to her two loving children, Delorce C. Elliott and Hosie Lee Williams, Jr. both of North Little Rock, AR, Momma leaves to cherish her memories, yet rejoice in her victory, her grandchildren, Luke Williams, Portland, Oregon; Rassii Elliott, Washington, D.C.; Latashuia Browning, St. Charles, Missouri; Traniquia (Keenan) Coleman, Houston, Texas; her great grandchildren, Hananiah Anderson, Houston, Texas; Azariah and Christian Anderson, St. Charles, Missouri; Myri’ Hogan and Chandler Coleman, Houston, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Joyce Bradley, Lebanon, Illinois and Gloria Dean Meriweather, Fairview Heights, Illinois. She will be greatly missed by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.
