Obituary: Martha Violet Smith, 83, Bardstown
Martha Violet Smith, 83, of Bardstown, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, at Flaget Memorial Hospital. She was a loving wife, a devoted mother, a treasured grandmother and a great grandmother. She was born Nov. 1, 1934, in Fredericktown to the late William Chester and Eliza Diana Thompson Taylor.
She was a lifelong member of St. Joseph Catholic Church where she served on the bereavement committee and was a member of the Altar Society and was a devoted homemaker.
MARTHA VIOLET SMITH
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Rapier Smith; two sisters, Mary Boone and Carol Taylor; and two brothers, Frank Taylor and William Chester “Buddy” Taylor.
She is survived by five daughters, Sylvia (Stephen) Hamilton, Kathryn Stocker “Katy” (Dean) Watts, Mary Virginia “Ginny” (Roger) Carey, Margie (Jimmy) Downs, and Amy (Jeremy) Janes, all of Bardstown; two sons, Charles Rapier “Chuck” (Gloria) Smith and Francis Richard “Frank” (Dee Dee) Smith, both of Bardstown; four sisters, Catherine Clements of Springfield, Eleanor Rapier of Bardstown, Sister Mary Diane Ursuline Sister of Mount St. Joseph, Maple Mount, and Judy (Steve) Thompson of Loretto; one brother, Tom (Tippy) Taylor of Bardstown; two sisters-in-law, Mary Lee Taylor of California and Joyce Taylor of Georgetown; 15 grandchildren, Thomas (Kelsie) Hamilton, Margaret Hamilton (Brantley) Kilgore, Lee Marie (Ryan) Guenther, Madeline Watts, Patrick (Anne) Carey, Alex (Jordan) Carey, Charles (Maggie) Smith, Lesley Smith, Violet Downs, Harry Downs, Ellie Downs, Eliza Downs, Zachary Janes, Emma Janes, and Taylor Janes; and 9 great-grandchildren, Addie Smith, Charlie Smith, Patrick Carey Jr., Christian Carey, Alexander Carey, Lilly Claire Hamilton, Graham Gunther, Teddy Kilgore and Jack Kilgore.
The family would like to thank her caregivers who provided such special care to her, Genny Lovingood, Stella Turley, Debbie Studdard, Dorotha Traynor and Karen Dean.
The Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, at the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral with the Rev. Bradshaw and the Rev. Joseph Batcheldor officiating. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Visitation is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, and 8:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home with a prayer service Tuesday evening.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to the Home of the Innocents, 1100 East Market Street Louisville, KY 40206
Gentle mother, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us love.
The Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home, 1475 New Shepherdsville Road, is in charge of arrangements.
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