Mary Lena Smith

Mary Lena Smith was born in Elberta, Alabama on July 11, 1945, to the late Fred and Roberta Gardner. On October 20, 2026, Mary was called home to be with our savior.

Mary attended Baldwin County Training School in Daphne, Alabama. This is where she met and married her high school sweetheart Daniel "Bubba" Smith, Jr.

In the early 1970s they moved their family to Atlanta, Georgia and made it their home. She worked at Ciba vision care for 30 plus years.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents Fred and Roberta Gardner, her high school sweetheart Daniel, her sisters and brothers (Martin, Dorothy, Frank, Mamie, Elmer and Willie).

She is survived by her sons Victor (Rosalind) Smith, Christopher (Demetrica) Smith, Mario (Marteia) Smith, Daughter Nancy Smith; devoted goddaughter Freida (David) Johnson; loving sister Bertha Whitehurst; sister in laws Willie Mae Gardner and Charlotte Headen; brother in laws Alonzo Smith of Atlanta, GA and Kenneth Smith of Sumter, SC; 15 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends.