Mary Frances Windham

Mary Frances Smith Windham passed away peacefully on August 3rd, 2025, in Yadkinville, North Carolina at the age of 81. She is survived by her two children, Linda (Gary) Long of Yadkinville, North Carolina, and Brealon “Buddy” (Melissa) Windham of Kingsville, Texas; her grandchildren, Brealon (Haley) Ashworth, Nathan Long (Kelsey), Tyler (Leah) Windham, and Kaylie (Caleb) Guzman; her seven great-grandchildren, Maddox and Luca Ashworth, Tanner, Walker, and Hudson Windham, Collin Guzman and Owen Everhart. She is preceded in death by her husband, Anse “Windy” Windham, her parents, Horace Aden and Ella Mae Grant Smith, and her siblings Robert Eugene Smith, Donald Grant Smith, and Vivian Sue Moulton.

Mary was born on March 10, 1944, in Corpus Christi, Texas and married Anse Windham on October 12, 1963. She was a devoted military wife, supporting her family at various duty stations, including Corpus Christi, San Jose, CA while Windy was on the USS Hornet, Puerto Rico and Naval Air Station, Kingsville, Texas where they raised their children and enjoyed the majority of their retirement years. Mary is lovingly remembered as wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, volunteer, and friend to all. In addition to working part-time for American Greetings, Wal-Mart and the Kingsville Visitors Center, Mary was actively involved in the Kingsville Noon Lions Club, supporting such worthy causes as the Texas Lions Camp and an annual project to provide dictionaries to 3rd grade students in the Kingsville community. She also volunteered her time in retirement at the 1904 Train Depot Museum in Kingsville.

Mary remained in Kingsville for several years after her husband’s death in 2014 and then relocated in 2018 to be near her daughter and other family in North Carolina. Mary will be fondly remembered by all those who loved and knew her. The family is grateful to the staff at Brighton Gardens, SECU Mountain Valley Hospice House, and the wonderful community of friends and neighbors who loved and cared for her. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Texas Lions Camp (www.lionscamp.com), the SECU Mountain Valley Hospice (www.mountainvalleycares.org) or the charity of your choice in Mary’s memory. The family is being served by Gentry Family Funeral Service in Yadkinville, NC.