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In memory of

Caroline Backer Smith

Greensboro, AL

July 13, 1938 - January 9, 2020

Jul 13, 1938 - Jan 9, 2020

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Caroline Pauline Backer Smith, aged 81, passed away on January 9, 2020, at her family home, Contentment, in Greensboro, AL. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., January 20, 2020, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greensboro, AL with The Rev. Hoyt Winslett officiating.

Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, Carl August Backer and Sophie Petsche. Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Charles Stollenwerck Smith of Greensboro, AL; daughters, Jennifer Backer Griffith of Montpelier, VT and Elise Avery Smith of Birmingham, AL; son, Charles Whelan Stollenwerck Smith of Carbondale, CO; and grandchildren Benjamin Charles Raymond Griffith and Samuel Bosworth Griffith of New Orleans, LA; and Mason Maguire Smith and Avery Caroline Smith of Carbondale, CO; sisters Helen Joan Brewster of Galloway, NJ and Gloria Emily Hall of Egg Harbor City, NJ; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Caroline was a 1956 graduate of Rancocas Valley Regional HS in Mt. Holly, NJ. She was employed at McGuire AFB and soon transferred to Frankfurt, Germany where she married Charles in Basel, Switzerland in 1961. An energetic mother and devoted wife for many years, she kept busy pursuing sports, traveling, coaching soccer, and leading Girl Scouts.

After moving to AL in 1980, she was employed as an assistant for Hale County District Judge William A. Ryan for two decades. She was an excellent cook and hostess, dedicated Episcopalian, Master Gardener, a faithful fan of the University of Alabama, and a generous and loving mother and grandmother who also cared for those less fortunate including numerous wayward cats and dogs.

She put great effort into every endeavor and exhibited that perseverance, humor, and hard work are the cornerstones of a life well-lived. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hale County Animal Shelter or Project Horseshoe Farm in Greensboro, AL.

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