Johnsie Rhodes Smyre

Johnsie Rhodes Smyre passed peacefully on August 11, 2016. Born on March 22, 1913, she was 103 years old at the time of her passing. A beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, she was adored and admired by her family. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren regularly stopped in to visit with her, not out of a sense of obligation, but because they truly loved to spend time with her. Being with her made everything better. Her innate sense of wisdom, combined with a truly loving nature, made every visit memorable. Johnny Ma was a living piece of history. Not only was she a gifted storyteller, but she had an incredibly keen memory. She could recall events from 90 years ago with amazing detail and accuracy. Whether she was telling you about the flooding of Johns River in the 1920s or her early working days when she made only 10 cents an hour, she could recall nearly every detail as if it happened only yesterday. She could still recite poems she learned in grammar school with amazing accuracy. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren loved to hear the fascinating stories of her childhood. Her zest for life and terrific sense of humor helped bring her legendary tales to life. Known for her work ethic, she would often work all day at Vanguard and come home and work in the garden or in her yard ’til late in the evening. (You could never get her on the phone before 9:00 p.m. during the summer!) She finally retired at the age of 87 (after spending most of her life in the furniture industry) and continued to mow her own grass into her late 90s. She always said that hard work and honesty were the keys to her longevity! She attributed much of her toughness and grit to her sheer will to survive as a premature baby. Weighing in at only 2 1/2 lbs. when she was born in 1913, her survival was a miracle. Her parents put her on a heated brick to keep her warm. This rocky start created a grit and determination in her that propelled her through life. Johnny Ma was well known and loved by everyone. She made a special effort to create and nurture friendships everywhere she went, whether it was at work, at church, in her neighborhood, at parties, at wedding showers, with extended family, and with her caregivers. She never met a stranger and she knew how to be a good friend. Her phone was always ringing with friends wanting to chat. Friends, former coworkers, church members, extended family, neighbors, and caregivers regularly dropped in to visit. It wasn’t unusual for her to get more than 200 birthday cards, which she proudly displayed all over her house. One of her favorite pastimes was playing cards. It wouldn’t be unusual to stop by and find long-time friends Martha Killian and Mary Kanupp, as well as her daughter, Lynda Lea, gathered around her kitchen table playing Hand and Foot, Rook, or a variety of other card games. Johnny Ma loved the mountains. In 1956, she and her husband, Coy, purchased a mountain home in Newland where they spent many of their weekends with friends and family. Whether they were picking blueberries, shooting their guns (she was a sharpshooter), or working in the garden, the mountains were a very special place for their family. She instilled a love of nature in her children and grandchildren (particularly bird watching and the love of a beautiful view). A member of St. Stephens Lutheran Church and a regular attendee of Sandy Ridge Baptist Church, Johnny Ma was a devout and faithful Christian who regularly attended church and read her Bible daily. She not only knew and understood how to apply scripture to daily living, but she truly lived the values she studied in her Bible. Her sense of integrity, honesty, generosity, and kindness was unshakable and became the cornerstones of her brand. She was a wonderful role model and a mentor for her family and her extended circle of friends. Johnny Ma is survived by her son, Thomas Rhodes Smyre, and wife Joice; grandsons Greg Smyre, Anthony DeHart and wife Dottie, Andrew DeHart and wife Bridget; granddaughter Amanda Welch and husband Dwayne; great grandchildren Greg Smyre II and wife Kerby, Madalyn Smyre, Miranda Smyre, Anthony DeHart II, Will DeHart, Katie Grace DeHart, Abby DeHart, Amber Sherrill, Andy DeHart, Lexie Welch, Anderson Welch, Addie Jo Welch, and Grayson Welch. She was preceded in death by her husband, Coy Emmett Smyre; her daughter, Lynda Lea Smyre DeHart; two sisters and two brothers. The family will receive friends on Saturday, August 13, 2016 from 11:45 to 12:45 at St. Stephens Lutheran Church. The funeral will be on Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 1:00 at St. Stephens Lutheran Church, with Rev. David Guelzow and Rev. David Ziehr officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family would like to give special thanks to Catawba Regional Hospice staff and her caregivers. Family requests memorials to St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 2304 Springs Road, NE, Hickory, NC 28601, in lieu of flowers. Arrangements are with Hickory Funeral Home.