Marie Smith Breeden

A graveside service will be held at 4:00 PM Thursday, July 10th at Forrest Cemetery for Marie Josephine Smith Breeden, age 97 of Gadsden. She was born May 10, 1917 and passed away Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Reverend Dennis Nichols will officiate. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services will direct.

Born to Josephine Katherine Johnson and Warren Floyd Smith, she had a style and love of perfection from an early age. Marie attended Montevallo College during the Depression years, and in 1939 married Raymond Pettice Arnold, a successful young cotton broker for Manget & Company, Atlanta, GA. They met on a blind date arranged by James Faucett, a good friend and neighbor in Gadsden. The newlyweds honeymooned in Havana, Cuba returning to make a home in Huntsville, AL

When WWII commenced, Mr. Arnold volunteered for Navy service and Officer Training School. He was sent to Virginia Beach for training.

Their daughter, Bettie Katherine (named for both grandmothers), was born in August, 1942 before Lt. Arnold shipped out to the Pacific for two years duty on a Navy destroyer. Lt. Arnold was killed in July, 1944 in the invasion of Guam.

Marie was an exemplary mother/ father to both of her children. She followed her own well-learned rules of etiquette and behavior and passed them on to her children with every extra advantage she could muster.

She knew how to live! She loved her friends, family, duplicate bridge, shoes, dancing and fun. She maintained a lively household and was a beautiful hostess. She was also on the ten “Best Dressed Women in Alabama” for ten years running. She was a Life Master in the American Bridge Association. She was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter.

Marie married Ralph Emerson Breeden in 1963. He predeceased her in 1985.

Mrs. Breeden is survived by her two devoted children, Kathie Reed (Mrs. Thomas K.) of Santa Fe, N.M., and Bill Warren (William Johnson) of Gadsden; her brother, Warren Smith Jr. of Palm Springs, CA; three nephews, K.B. Hudson, Jr. of Signal Mountain, TN, Warren Hudson of Lookout Mtn, GA, Warren Woodliff Smith of Palm Springs, CA; one niece, Becky Lake (David) of Franklin, TN; four great nephews, Baily Hudson, Chris Smith, Chad Smith of California, David Lake of Franklin, TN; and her great niece, Kendall Hudson of Chattanooga.

The family wishes to thank the nurses at Alacare Hospice and special thanks to her personal nurses, Patricia Clayburn and Theresa Clark who were devoted, kind, good cooks, and funny. They and Marie laughed a lot.

The family will receive friends at home.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.collier-butler.com.