Elsie A. Smeltzer

Asheville Elsie Anna Zoffia Austin Smeltzer, 92, of Battery Park Apartments, Apt. #206 passed away Monday, March 17, 2008 at the St. Joseph Campus of Mission Hospitals. A native of Yancey County, Mrs. Smeltzer had resided in Buncombe County most of her life. She was the daughter of the late Grayson and Ida Edney Austin and the wife of Fred Howard Smeltzer who died in 1972. She was a nurse and formerly employed with Moore General Hospital and was a member of Prices Creek Baptist Church and Cumberland Avenue Baptist Church. Surviving are her daughter, Shirley Petrey and husband David of Marshall; son, Ronald Sherrill Ray, Sr. and wife Jo Ann of Charlotte; sister, Lonia Edwards of Asheville; 11 grandchildren; several great and great great grandchildren; special niece, Edna Crowe; special nephews Myron Crowe and Charles Smeltzer and her adopted family, Brock and Kathy Himan and boys. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Thursday in the chapel of Anders-Rice Funeral Home with the Rev. Mike Thomas officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. The family will receive friends 7 to 9 PM Wednesday and from 1 to 2 PM Thursday at the funeral home and at other times the family will be at her residence.