Edith Gresham Smith, 79, of Water View, passed away peacefully Thursday, April 9, 2026.
She was born on Feb. 15, 1947, to the late James Clarence Sr. and Alice Gresham. She was the wife of the late Walter E. Smith.
Edith worked at Urbanna Cleaners as a seamstress. She and her sister, Alice Mae, opened S&K Upholstery Shop in the mid 1980s. She recovered many pieces of furniture for people in Middlesex and was everyone’s local seamstress for many years.
She was always very crafty and did a phenomenal job on everything she put her hands on. Edith baked many delicious wedding, birthday, and anniversary cakes for friends, family, and others.
She was a breast cancer survivor and has been a fighter for most of her adult life.
She always made her signature clam chowder for her children at Christmas, and everyone loved her homemade rolls. She had a Heart of Gold and always made sure everyone else had what they needed before herself.
Edith loved spending time with her family, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her cat, Sweet Pea. She always looked forward to her monthly family luncheons, and all she ever talked about was her great-grandbabies and wanting to be with them.
Edith will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her two sons and their spouses, James and Misty Smith of Wake and Eric and Stephanie Smith of Urbanna; seven grandchildren, Justin Smith (Tiffany), Jarred Smith (Emilie), Emilie Walton (Ricky), Adam Smith (Madison), Brooke Cole (DJ), Kirstin Cole (James), and Tyler Cole (Allie); 10 great-grandchildren, Riley, Marcy, Kennedy, Madison, Skylar, Grayson, Sloan, Emerson, Charlotte, and Lincoln; brother, Clarence Gresham Jr.; sister, Alice Mae Carlton; sisters-in-law, Julia Gresham, Linda Smith and Mary Noirot, as well as her family friend, Susan Gresham and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she is predeceased by her siblings, Walter Gresham, James (Sonny) Gresham, Gertrude Wilson, and Phyliss Hogge.
A celebration of life is planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, at Hermitage Baptist Church, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Upper Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 75, Church View, VA 23032.
