Asa Dean Smith

Asa Dean Smith, 97, of Morganton, NC went home to Glory on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at Grace Hospital. He was born in Centre County, PA on June 24, 1915. He was the son of the late James Nelson Smith and Mable May Schenck Smith. Asa was a member of Mull’s Grove Baptist Church where he had served as a deacon, chair of the Cemetery Committee, and was an honorary life-time trustee. Asa was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of WWII and retired from EMSCO Group in Girard, Pennsylvania. Asa moved to Morganton in 1988.Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of 69 years, Thelma Alice Willey Smith of the home; daughters, Almeda Foy and her husband, Norman, of Morganton, Kathleen "Kate" Bonesteel and her husband, Donald, of Valdese, NC, Nadean Hayes of Grove Port, OH, and Maralee Douglas and her husband, Rev. Murray Douglas, of Lawrenceburg, IN; nineteen grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.In addition to his parents, Asa was preceded in death by three brothers, Merril, Victor, and Ellis Smith; and a sister, Pearl Smith.The funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Friday, May 17, 2013 at Mull’s Grove Baptist Church with the Reverends Bud Jernigan and Murray Douglas officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church for one hour prior to the service.Memorial contributions may be made to Mull’s Grove Baptist Church, 5106 Burkemont Road, Morganton, NC 28655.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.