Christine Jeanette Smith

Christine Jeanette Smith of Hendersonville, Tennessee, currently of Portland, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Christine was born November 30, 1934 in Nashville, Tennessee to parents, Leslie and Edna Minton. She was 85 years of age.

She was preceded in death by her father, Leslie Minton, mother, Edna Rist Minton, husband, Elroy Smith and daughter, Julie Brown.

She is survived by four children, Doug Smith, Diane Gresham, Ben Smith, Mark Smith; one brother surviving, Barry Minton; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A private graveside service will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery with Roy McGregor officiating. At a later date, a memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Mount Olivet Funeral Home Chapel for all family and friends to attend. Date and time will be announced on Mount Olivet's website.

Words written by daughter, Diane

Hello Everyone,

I am Diane Christine Smith Gresham. The daughter of Christine Jeanette Minton Smith.

We are here today to honor CJS. There's no way to even begin to describe the great love of this family that has sprouted a beautiful tree of life.

Our family was established in 1955, with the marriage of Elroy Smith and Christine Smith, creating five children: Doug, Julie, Diane, Ben and Mark.

Our family has grown tremendously, and our first heartache came with the passing of our Dad in 2011. Daddy was the cornerstone of our family and Mama was the Heart.

She was beautiful and tenacious. She stood on her Christian values, and never backed down from what she believed. Mama was raised within walking distance of downtown Nashville, where she worked at National Life Insurance Company. She actually bought herself and one other complete funeral at the age of seventeen and paid for it over the years to prepare for possibly marrying and the planning that went into this is remarkable. The things that this woman was capable is astounding. It's impossible to recap all our memories and our childhoods in this short time.

Mom made us aware of who we are and made sure we knew our families and our ancestors. We always spent time with our cousins and travelled to see our distant cousins. We carry this tradition on today with our children and grandchildren.

I can only hope and pray that this tradition will be carried on for generations to come.

There's no way to express fully, how much we have learned from our Mom. She was a very talented artist and writer. We will enjoy her collections forever.

In her last couple of years, Mom lost the ability to walk because of a fall, and was very appreciative of anyone who came to visit her and we are also appreciative of that. Thank you. You can rest assured that Mom knew who you were. Even at the age of 85, she knew you. Mom had trouble remembering her past, but she certainly knew her present.

I want to share a paper I found in her funeral paperwork. This is drafted by Christine herself. I will keep this forever in my heart:

On this last day of my life, I, Christine Jeanette Minton Smith, write this: To my husband, my children, my family and anyone whose lives I have touched, if I have made someone smile along the way, my life is not in vain. If I have brought comfort to the one who suffers, I am content.

If I am missed by anyone, by any measure of time. I will be remembered. Through my descendants, I am made immortal in the blood, but not in the body. Sometimes, perhaps in one of the grandchildren, you may catch a glimmer of me. I hope it brings you joy and not despair.