Obituary of Lisa Marie Smith

Lisa Marie Perrin Smith, born October 16, 1958, returned to Heaven on Friday, July 28, 2023.  On Sunday, February 27, 2022, she went to Heaven for two minutes.  Later, she described Heaven to her family as the most beautiful place she had ever seen.  In a shaded meadow, there was a trickling stream where she was greeted by her parents, Arvil Perrin and Virginia Bledsoe Ooten, her Aunt Robbie, and her grandparents, Pa and Mama Marie Perrin.  However, God wasn’t ready for her time on earth to end that night, and He blessed her family with 515 more days with her on earth.  Lisa would want everyone who reads this to know that Heaven is truly real, and she hopes to see you there one day. Lisa was a dedicated wife, Mama, Grammy, sister, and friend.  She is survived by her loving husband of 46 years, Steve, their two daughters, Callie and Laura, son-in-laws whom she loved like her own sons, Chad Branam and JB King, seven grandchildren, Landen and Greyson Turner, Knox and Reese Branam, and Emry, Ezra, and Harbor King, sister, Julie (Dave) Ables, brother, Brian (Lori) Perrin, nephews, Jarrod Hatcher and Brent Price, nieces, Bethany Perrin and Niki Ables, aunt and uncle, Judy and Buddy Collier, a life-long family friend, Linda “Flossie” Wease, in-laws, Lamar and Martha Smith, special cousin Christina Landreth, and many dear cousins and friends. Lisa was most proud of her family.  She encouraged Steve in his love for Soddy Daisy history over the years and was happy to see him finally achieve his dream of opening a history museum within the last few years.  She was a Godly example to Callie and Laura of what a wife and mother who loved the Lord should be.  The girls will always remember her leading them to the Lord alongside their Daddy, how their home was always cheerfully decorated for the changing seasons, watching Anne of Green Gables with them when they were sick, painting ceramics and making handprint t-shirts and Christmas ornaments together, spending countless hours in the car together taking them to practices, games, and competitions, and in their adult years, being the friend who was always there to listen and give marriage or parenting advice.  Since becoming a Grammy thirteen years ago, Lisa spent many days and nights caring for her grandchildren. She loved being Awana Cubbies teacher to four of her grandkids and was one of their biggest fans at gymnastics and climbing competitions, football, baseball, basketball, and soccer games, and track meets.  She was so proud of her grandchildren and could usually be seen wearing a “Grammy” t-shirt everywhere she went.  If a stuffed animal, blanket, or a piece of clothing needed mending, the grandkids always asked Grammy for help.  She was an excellent cook, especially her chicken casserole, chicken alfredo, macaroni and cheese, fried squash, and cornbread which the grandkids loved the most.  Grammy looked forward to Monday nights when she cooked a huge meal for the whole family and enjoyed spending time talking together and watching the grandkids play afterward.  She loved camping at Chester Frost with the grandkids and loved watching them kayak on the lake, ride scooters beside the camper and play with their army men, dinosaurs, and fairies in the grass which they usually turned to mud.  Grammy also loved taking trips to the beach, Disney World, and Dollywood with her grandkids. As a teenager, Lisa became a member of Daisy First Baptist Church where she met, married, and served beside the love of her life for over 30 years.  She poured all of her love and time into raising her and Steve’s two girls.  She made a promise to the Lord that if he allowed her to stay home with Callie and Laura, that she would dedicate her life to serving Him.  And she did just that.  Throughout those years she served the Lord as VBS director, children’s choir leader, set designer for many choir performances, and mission trip “mom”, and many other roles.  Her family then became members at Stuart Heights Baptist Church where she served as an Awana Cubbies teacher, nursery volunteer, and on the Wednesday night dinner team.  Her righteous deeds here on earth were too many to count, and most were done without anyone but her Heavenly Father knowing about them.  We know she has already heard her Heavenly Father tell her, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Lisa was always looking for ways to bless others.  She loved to crochet baby blankets and make quilts for grandbabies for her closest friends and family and even one for one of the expectant nurses at her oncologist’s office.  Lisa lovingly dedicated many years being caregiver to her Daddy.  Even during her own health battle, she cooked meals and did as much as she could to help her friends going through struggles.  Since 1976, Lisa and Steve were blessed with a friendship in Keith and Marla Habermas that has lasted over four decades.  She loved the entire Habermas family like her own.  Lisa looked forward to planning the annual Smith-Habermas Thanksgiving get-together and attended graduations, weddings, and ball games for Sarah, Tracey, and Missy and their children who lovingly referred to her as "Aunt Lisa". Lisa was lovingly known as the leader of a group of eighteen ladies whom she loved dearly.  Those ladies have loved on Lisa and her family like their own over the years.  She loved sending out their weekly prayer request emails to the group and planning monthly evenings for them to spend together.  Lisa always carefully planned and beautifully decorated for their children's wedding and baby showers, rehearsal dinners, and weddings.  She mourned alongside these ladies as they lost husbands, children, and parents, battled cancer and other illnesses, and struggled through the trials of life. She was always the first to show up, the first to call, the first to help.  Lisa’s family would like to thank Dr. Todd Boren, his staff, and the wonderful nurses and patient care techs on the 5th floor at Erlanger for caring so well for her the past eighteen months.   A celebration of her life will be on Sunday, July 30 at 3:00pm at First Baptist Church Soddy Daisy. A service at her final resting place at Hamilton Memorial Gardens will be Monday, July 31 at 10:00am.  In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children's Research hospital would be appreciated. Please share your memories, stories, and photos at  www.legacyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are by Legacy Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8911 Dallas Hollow Road, Soddy-Daisy, TN (423) 843-2525.