Graveside service for Ms. Merle Allen Smith will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, October 24, at New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery. Bro. Nathan Case will officiate. Pallbearers will be Layke Smith, Kyle Moak, Toby Ashley, Justin Cline, Daniel Allen, and Rusty Cline.

Ms. Smith, 73, of Brookhaven, died October 20, 2023, at her residence. She was born September 19, 1950, to Versie Allen and Dora Mae Russell Allen. She retired from AT&T after 31 years of service. She was known to everyone in Brookhaven as “the Telephone Lady”.

Merle enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and football. She was secretary of CWA for many years. She was a loving mom and grandmother and enjoyed spending time with her two grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her.

Ms. Smith is preceded in death by her parents and her two sisters, Pat Redd and Faye Case.

She is survived by her daughter, Leanne Smith; brother, Ray Allen (Janice); sister, Vicki Trotti (Danny); grandchildren, Layke Smith (Brandi) and Kaycee Brooke Thomas (Damion); and five great-grandchildren, Tyler Pack, Maddi Smith, Scylar Smith, Addison Ratcliff, and London Ratcliff. She is also survived by other loving family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, 7460 Warren Pkwy Suite 150, Frisco, TX 75034; or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100 N
Bethesda, MD 20814.

Condolences and other information are available online at www.riverwoodfamily.com.