Frances “Diane” Smalling, 62, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at Hillview Health Center in Elizabethton, Tenn.
Diane was a Carter County native and had lived her whole life on Smalling Road with her family. Diane had a special way of touching the lives of all who knew her. She never met a stranger and she never forgot a face. She loved her family, friends and especially her church family at Watauga Point United Methodist Church in Elizabethton. She was a member of the church choir, the Brenda Bishop Sunday School Class and was even voted Member of the Year in 1988. She proudly worked for 25 years at the Tennessee Vocational Workshop in Elizabethton. Diane loved bowling, painting, writing letters to friends and family, Westerns, and UT football and basketball. She also loved to go anywhere anyone would take her.
Ms. Smalling was preceded in death by her parents, James and Blanche Braswell Smalling, and a sister and brother-in-law, Sheila and Jerry Dodson.
Those left to cherish her memory are her sister, Betty McInturff and husband Troy; her brother, Tom Smalling and wife Teresa; her nieces and nephews, April Kushmann, Andrea Bradford, Nathan McInturff, Erica Everley, Scott Smalling and Duane Smalling; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family will receive friends from 2 until 3 p.m. Saturday, December 15, at Morris-Baker Funeral Home. A funeral service will follow at 3 p.m., officiated by Rev. Leann K F Crandell and Rev. Mike Berry. A committal service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 16, at Washington County Memory Gardens. Family and friends are asked to gather at the graveside by 2:50 p.m. Active pallbearers are Jerry Weaver, Ted Weaver, Jackson Bradford, Sullivan McInturff, Nathan McInturff, Ted Bradford and Tilo Kushmann. In lieu of flowers, memorials are directed to Watauga Point United Methodist Church in Elizabethton, 409 Gap Creek Road, Elizabethton, TN 37643. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family via www.morrisbaker.com.
Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 E. Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, (423) 282-1521, is serving the family.