Gertrude “Gertie” Smith Snoddy was born to us on May 5, 1933. She was born at home near the town of Mollie, in Columbus County, North Carolina, on a tobacco plantation to her loving parents Phoenix and Retha Smith.
She shared her plantation life there with her three sisters, Louise, Lee and Rachel. She began her lifelong love of Baptist and Country Music and began singing at the tender age of 10 in her Southern Baptist Church choir. Along with her sisters, their quartet of music sang true together for many years, both in church and on the local radio.
She attended Williams Township High School graduating on May 18, 1951, a straight “A” student. She met her husband Ray while he was stationed at an Army Airborne base in North Carolina near her home. They met on a blind date that was arranged by her sister Louise and Ray’s best friend “Smitty”. These young men enjoyed motorcycle riding during their down time, and Gertie fell in love with not only Ray, but also with his Harley Davidson motorcycle. They were married by a Justice of the Peace on May 13, 1953, in Harry County, South Carolina. It was a love that continued for over 57 years.
It wasn’t long before they were blessed by their first son Leland in 1954 and followed by their second son, Edgar, “Eddy” born in 1956. When Leland was about the age of 3, following her husband Ray…. Gertie was whisked off to the remote Pacific Northwest where Ray worked as an iron worker for the Columbia basin project. He was involved for some years as a rigging engineer until his last project on the third power house at Grand Coulee Dam. In 1970 they established a new life on a 10 acre farm near Otis Orchards, in the community of Newman Lake. She found a new love of life on her farm as her family, her animals and her garden grew. All of her creatures, flowers, vegetables and grounds around her home were tended with great love and produced a life of abundance.
Beyond the farm and her family life, “Gertie” was well known as “the Lady” postal carrier in the Liberty Lake Community where she served her daily route for 16 years. After her retirement in 2000, she continued her love of life on her farm with her husband Ray until his passing in 2008. She was blessed with three grandchildren from her dear son Edgar: Amy born in 1980, Zach born in1986 and Melissa born in 1993. She was absolutely thrilled when her dear Amy gave birth to a great-granddaughter Morgan Rae in 2016. This opened a new chapter for Gertie as this child brought new light and love into her life. Her home was full of the wonderful memories of her life both present and past. She never sought to leave this life on her beautiful farm near Newman Lake and it remained her greatest joy until her passing at home with her family at her side on November 19, 2018.
She was preceded in death by her son Leland in 1976, her husband Ray in 2008, and her beloved pets Reedy and Fuzzy who left her side just three weeks before her passing.
She is survived by her beloved son Edgar Snoddy and his wife Catherine, her precious grandchildren, Amy Snoddy Geib, Zacharia Snoddy and Melissa McDoniel, of Spokane, County, and her little “light and love” Morgan Alena Rae Geib.
Memorial Service will be celebrated at Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Rd, Spokane Valley, Washington, Wednesday, November 28th at 11:00am. Family Burial at Pines Cemetery in the Spokane Valley.
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