Sarah Odelia Blankenship Smithey Barnes, 99, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2024, in Statesville, North Carolina. She was born on May 20, 1924, in Alexander County, North Carolina, to Hunter and Mary Bowers Blankenship.
Sarah was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Thomas B. Smithey; brothers, J.C. Blankenship, Bobby Blankenship, and Purn Blankenship; and sisters, Vera Patterson, Frances Keller, Mildred Burgess, Rachel Sigmon, and Rebecca Durham.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Lee Smithey, of Statesville; grandsons, Mark Smithey, and wife, Amy, of Level Cross, and Eric Smithey, and wife, Agnes, of Cypress, TX; great grandchildren, Tessa and Julian Smithey; and sister, Lillie Mae Pennell, of Hiddenite.
Visitation will be held on Monday, January 29, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., at Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home. The funeral service will begin at 2:00 p.m., with Pastor Bill Troutman officiating. Burial will follow at Iredell Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Ms. Barnes may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd Street, New York, New York 10016, or online at https://www.kidney.org/.
