Louise Smith Faulkner

Louise was born on September 22, 1934 in Enfield, North Carolina, daughter of the late Sam W. Smith, Sr. and Nellie Mae Chichester Smith. She was raised along with nine siblings in Enfield, and she graduated from Enfield High School. After graduation, Louise worked as a switchboard operator at Carolina Telegraph and Telephone for nine years.

Louise married Henry L. "Lew" Faulkner, Jr. on December 1, 1962. They were married, and went almost everywhere together, for more than 55 years before Lew's death on October 18, 2018. Louise's survivors include sons Bruce (wife Cherie) of Raleigh and Scott (wife Carolyn) of Holly Springs, as well as Scott's daughters Gail and Rebekah, whom Louise adored as a doting grandmother. One of Louise's brothers also survives her: Franklin Smith of Greenville, NC. A niece and a bevy of nephews survive her as well. Louise's parents and all other siblings (Clifton Smith; Frances Palma; Sam Smith, Jr.; Linwood Smith; Fred Smith; Marvin Smith; and Robert Smith) predeceased her.

Louise was a dedicated and devoted wife and mother who made family her top priority. She worked hard in the home to raise her sons and to instill good values in them. A child of a large family raised in the Great Depression era, Louise excelled at "reuse and recycle" long before the term came into vogue. In fact, Lew commented often that Louise "could squeeze a nickel so hard the buffalo would [go to the bathroom]."

Louise enjoyed cooking and baking, especially cakes that she made and decorated herself for numerous family members and friends. She also excelled at sewing, often making, altering, and repairing clothes for the family. She enjoyed working in the garden and yard. She regularly grew vegetables and planted flowers and shrubs. Louise even enjoyed mowing the grass when her sons were younger as it provided her with alone time away from them.

Louise enjoyed visiting with mother as well as various of her brothers and sisters along with their families. Louise was especially close to her mother, whom she visited often until her mother's death. On her deathbed, Louise's mother told her she was seeing visions of angels. Afterwards, Louise began an extensive collection of angel figurines and images that she kept for the rest of her life.

Louise was active in her hometown at Enfield Baptist Church, and she later became a fixture in Sunday School at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary for the last several decades of her life. When her health allowed, she attended the "Happy Homemakers" Sunday School class and served as the class secretary for many years. She greatly enjoyed the fellowship with the ladies of this class.

Louise could be gentle and kind, but she was also feisty and tough. Her toughness often came out over the last several years of her life as her health declined. She battled a number of issues, and she moved to Woodland Terrace in April 2019, where she could receive assistance in her daily life. She grew quite close to many of the Woodland Terrace staff and residents. She particularly enjoyed playing bingo four to five times per week before the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. After several trips to hospitals and rehab facilities for complications from congestive heart failure, Louise decided she was "ready to go to another place [heaven]." She returned home to Woodland Terrace from her last stay at Rex Hospital in Raleigh to enter into hospice care on August 12. As she explicitly wished, she passed away in her sleep early in the morning of August 30, 2021. May she have the long, restful, and pain-free peace she sought for so long.

Louise's family would like to thank everyone involved in her care over the years, but especially all the wonderful staff of Woodland Terrace, Doctors Making House Calls, Choice Care Navigators, Preferred Living Solutions, HomeChoice Home Care Solutions, and My Ride LLC plus all the many medical professionals involved in her care in private practice and area hospitals. We appreciate everything you all have done to help Louise.

In lieu of flowers, Louise asked that memorial contributions be made to one of the following organizations: Enfield Baptist Church of Enfield, NC or Greenwood Forest Baptist Church (Organ Fund or General Fund) of Cary, NC.

Louise's family will receive friends on Thursday, September 9, 2021 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home at 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511. A memorial service celebrating Louise's life will be held on Friday, September 10, 2021 beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church at 110 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511. Louise's family will receive guests after the service. Louise will be buried next to Lew at Raleigh Memorial Park in a private service. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, properly-worn face masks and social distancing will be required at all services.