Ms. Florence Odessa Smith, 89, of Pinehurst, North Carolina entered into eternal rest on Sunday, November 17, 2024, Pinehurst Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Florence Odessa Smith, a beloved aunt and cherished member of our family, passed away peacefully on November 17, 2024, at the age of 89. Known to many as a vibrant and spirited  presence, she was more than just an aunt; she was like a mother to us all, filling our lives with warmth and joy. “Mama” or “Ms. Flo” as she was affectingly called, was a fireball who brought  energy and positivity into the lives of everyone she touched.

Born on July 10, 1935, in Dagsboro, Delaware to Nettie Mizell. Before moving to New York City, Ms. Flo grew up in the Eastern Shore area. She worked with children with disabilities for the State  of New York until she retired and moved to North Carolina. She came to visit her cousin, Helen Jones, and fell in love with the area, deciding to move to Pinehurst. It didn’t take her long to settle in and find a church home. She moved her membership from Greater Bright Light Baptist Church in New York and became an official First Missionary Baptist Church member on August 3,
2003. She loved her church and Pastor. She served in several capacities, volunteering at New Beginnings Daycare, actively participating on the hospitality board, and being a faithful tither. She  attended church every Sunday until she was unable to drive. Among her many friends, she had two special buddies, Betty Gibson and Elaine Owens, with whom she regularly spent time with  driving them around town to Stein Mart, Talbots, and Walmart.

She had a special connection with another New Yorker, Zenobia Watts, until her death. She enjoyed shopping and going out to eat. She liked watching comedy shows, fried chicken, especially  the chicken box wings, and her dear beloved fur babies Misty and Mindy. She also loved spending Sundays at Birtha’s house for dinner, and we know Ms. Flo gladly spoke her mind. She was  never lost for words and held truth to her faith even in her last days. She would quote scripture, what she could remember, and one of her favorites was Psalms 145:3: “Great is the Lord and  greatly to be praised.” Her legacy of kindness and unwavering spirit will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Preceded in death by her mother, Nettie Mizell, sister Joyce Giles, brothers Harry and Lenwood Sturgis

Florence is survived by several nieces and nephews, Tara Sturgis, Lionell Sturgis, Lenwood Jenkins Sturgis, Damon Jenkins, Tawanna Porter, Taletha Walker, and John Porter; three special  adoptive nieces, Tonee Grant, Whitney Covington and Shuris Campbell, who will forever hold her memory dear.

While she may be gone from our sight, her spirit and the love she shared will remain in our hearts forever, and her legacy will continue in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know  her.

Please keep the family and friends of Ms. Florence Odessa Smith in your thoughts and prayers. 

Arrangements are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of Southern Pines, North Carolina.