Shirley Smith Clontz

Shirley Anne Smith Clontz, age 86, of Charlotte, NC, passed away suddenly on April 2, 2025.

Shirley was born in Bryson City, North Carolina, to the late Jackson Arthur and Neal Jenkins Smith. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Jay Franklin Clontz, her eldest son, Richard Franklin, sisters, Judy Morgan and June Cochran, brother Billy Scott Smith, niece Cathy Clontz Tanner (Mark), great Nephews, Bray Jack Smith and Chase Cochran.

She is survived by her children: son, David Randall and wife Sally, of Indian Trail, and Ronald Gregory and wife Lisa, also of Indian Trail, NC, and her daughter, Michelle Rene Clontz-Shay and husband Rob of Salisbury, NC., two grandchildren, Alexandrea Nicole Gordon and David Christopher Clontz, two great grandchildren, Alexander Grey Gordon and Murphy Kyle Gordon, brother, Bobby Jack Smith and wife Betty, and brothers-in-law, William Marvin Clontz, (Shannon), of Florence, SC, Andy Morgan and Max Cochran, of Bryson City, NC., Donald Jay Rowe, and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Mrs. Clontz graduated from Swain County High School, and attended Mercy School of Nursing. Before her first child was born, she worked at Memorial Hospital and J.P. Stevens Co. She was very active in the schools her children attended. She taught Junior Great Books at Montclair Elementary and was active in PTA, orchestra and band boosters, as well as, serving as Den mother for Cub scouts, team support for little league baseball and other civic endeavors. She was also very active in her church, St Andrews United Methodist Church, where she had taught first grade Sunday School, participated in both the chancel choir, and bell choir, taught first grade vacation Bible School and planned programs for United Methodist Women. She was a recipient of the United Methodist Woman of the year pin. In later years she helped with the reading program for the Freedom School Organization.

In 1976, she took a position with the Credit Bureau of Charlotte where she worked for 20 years, after which she worked for the Charlotte Observer Credit Union, then for Charlotte Metro Credit Union until her retirement. She was a member of Credit Professionals International, which she joined in 1985 and in which she held all offices in her local association and published the organization's newsletter.

In retirement, she had four books published. ‘Recollection Jones’, a short novel set in the 1930's, 'To Carry a Cross', the story of Simon who carried the cross of Christ, ‘Mary of Bethany’, a portrayal about the sister of Lazarus, and stories of and 'Stuff and Nonsense', a book of poetry. She also enjoyed creating original 'Get well' and 'Birthday' cards for her family and friends.

Mrs. Clontz loved her mountain heritage and enjoyed researching her maternal, (Cochran and Jenkins) as well as her paternal (Brendle and McClanahan/Smith) family trees. She took great pleasure in her family and organized annual family reunions. She enjoyed working in her yard, reading, writing (novels, short stories and poems), playing scrabble, working crosswords, old TV reruns, watching humming birds and blue birds and feeding the deer that frequently visited her back yard.

Her family was her source of joy.

A Celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 1901 Archdale Dr, Charlotte, NC 28210 May 10, 2025 at 12pm EST

Memorial donations can be made to:

St. Andrews United Methodist Church. 1901 Archdale Dr, Charlotte, NC 28210