Mary Ellen Smith

Mary Ellen Smith, 53, of Swainsboro, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2025, after a lifetime defined by strength, love, and service to others.

Born on January 20, 1972, to DeSaussure Dugas “Dess” Smith III and Ruby Virginia “Ginny” Lockhart Smith, Mary Ellen was the kind of person whose presence was felt long before she entered the room and missed long after she left it. Her mother often said, “God broke the mold with her,” and everyone who knew her would agree. She was truly one of a kind.

Mary Ellen lived with a rare congenital heart condition, Tetralogy of Fallot, which brought many medical challenges throughout her life. Rather than letting it define her, she made it part of her story. She spoke about her health journey with humor and grace. Her resilience became her quiet superpower, inspiring those around her to carry on even when life felt hard.

She graduated from Swainsboro High School and then went on to earn a degree in business office technology from Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, as well as a certificate in medical insurance coding from Heart of Georgia Technical College in Dublin. Mary Ellen’s career at Emanuel Medical Center began as a volunteer, where her compassion and reliability quickly became apparent. In 2008, she joined the hospital’s medical records department, where she brought not only skill and organization but also warmth and a deep sense of care to her work.

Mary Ellen loved her community deeply and gave generously of her time. She was an active member of the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club, the Seedling Garden Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and First United Methodist Church. At church, she sang in the Chancel Choir and was devoted to the United Methodist Women. Whether it was volunteering, organizing, fundraising, or simply showing up, Mary Ellen’s service was steady, heartfelt, and rooted in her faith.

She had a quiet wit, a sharp memory, and a gentle but persistent nature. She never forgot a birthday. She knew the gas prices at every station in town. She could give you the weather forecast for the week. And she could sell you a raffle ticket before you even realized what was happening.

Though she didn’t cook and would happily admit it, she was quick to offer to buy you lunch, especially at the hospital cafeteria, where she knew exactly what to order and who to talk to. She showed her love in thoughtful gestures, her signature annual Christmas cards, and the many ways she reminded us that we mattered.

Mary Ellen adored her dogs. Her pups were more than pets; they were family. They were pampered, deeply loved, and always treated like royalty. She was a proud fur mama who found comfort and joy in their companionship.

She also loved camping, a passion that started when she was just five years old. One of her proudest moments came in 2005 when she got her first jet ski, an act of independence and adventure that reflected her spirited nature. She loved movies, especially Star Wars, and found comfort in familiar favorites like Roseanne and Everybody Loves Raymond. She could watch old VHS tapes of family trips and holidays over and over, each viewing just as special as the last.

She had routines she never wavered from. Lights out at 8 p.m., always announced with a firm, “I’m going to bed.” Even her goodnights were full of personality. Her days revolved around the people she loved and the routines that grounded her, the kinds of things we’ll miss the most.

Mary Ellen never married or had children of her own, but she cherished her role as daughter, sister, and aunt. She was fiercely devoted to her family. She remembered the small things, showed up for the big ones, and was a constant source of support and steadiness. She was preceded in death by her mother, Ruby Virginia “Ginny” Lockhart Smith; paternal grandparents, Dr. Henry Wilder Smith, Sr. MD and Leila Williams Smith; maternal grandparents, William Henry Lockhart, Sr. and Mary Ellen Sheram Lockhart.

She leaves behind a family who loved her dearly: her father, DeSaussure Dugas “Dess” Smith III of Swainsboro; her sister, Anna Kate Smith (Kenneth) Willoughby of Canoochee; her brothers, DeSaussure Dugas “Dessie” Smith IV (Terri) of Swainsboro and Richard Torpin Smith II (Kaytee) of Garner, North Carolina; her nieces and nephews, Nicole (Jacob) Prine, Jordan (Samantha) Hooks, Sally (Pratt) Mathews, Smith Willoughby, Wessyn Willoughby, and Torpin Smith; her great-nieces and great-nephews, Hadley Prine, Joe Prine, Ansley Prine, Hollis Hooks, Harden Hooks, Hudson Mathews, and Sarah Mathews; along with many cousins, extended family, church family, and close friends.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at First Methodist Church in Swainsboro with Rev. David Unkles officiating. Mary Ellen will lie in state one hour before the service. Interment will follow in Swainsboro City Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the Smith home, 214 North Racetrack Street in Swainsboro, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11. The family welcomes friends to stop by during this time to share memories and pay their respects.

Pallbearers are Ira Bragg, Ennis Bragg Jr., Jeff Flemister, Jordan Hooks, Pratt Mathews, Jarod Mimmie, Drew Mimmie, Jacob Prine, Colby Smith, Ivey Smith IV, Mason Smith Jr., Taylor Smith, and Ben Smith.

Honorary pallbearers will be employees of the Emanuel Medical Center Medical Records, members of the First Methodist Church of Swainsboro Chancel Choir, and members of the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club.

In place of flowers, donations can be made to the Mary Ellen Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Dessie and Terri Smith, 207 North Racetrack Street, Swainsboro, GA 30401.

Mary Ellen lived a life of quiet courage, thoughtful kindness, and unwavering faith. Her absence leaves a space that cannot be filled, but her legacy, built on love, service, and the gentle reminder to keep showing up for others, will continue to light our path.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Miss Mary Ellen Smith, 53, of Swainsboro.