A Life Story

Lois Wheeler Smith was born Lois Cayton Rowe in Raleigh, N.C. on November 6, 1925, to Milan Rodman and Ira Mae Cayton Rowe. She was the third of four beautiful Rowe daughters, who were affectionately known as "The Four Roses." Lois graduated from Needham Broughton High School in Raleigh in 1944, and married Thaddeus Carl Wheeler on November 2, 1946. They had two sons, Spencer Milan Wheeler and Thaddeus Carl Wheeler Jr., who were the light of her life. Lois's husband Carl passed away tragically in 1977, and in 1988 she married the second love of her life, Jim (James Garland) Smith. Added to her family were three loving stepsons, Mike (Cam), Alan, and Jon (Wanda) Smith and eight new grandchildren. She loved them as her own, just as Jim loved her family as his own. In 2008, Jim passed away after a long illness. Afterwards Lois was able to continue living a healthy, full, and active life, devoted to her family, church family and friends. On February 12, 2025, Jesus came to take her home at the age of 99. Her family had hoped she's make it to her 100th birthday celebration and beyond, but rejoiced that as life is truly counted, from conception, she turned 100 around February 6th!Besides being twice widowed, Lois was predeceased by her parents, her sisters Eleanor Hailey and Frances Yates, niece Bonnie Yates, stepsons Alan Smith and Jon Smith, and many other friends and loved ones. She leaves behind her sons Spencer Wheeler (Terri) and Thad Wheeler (Dottie), stepson Mike Smith (wife Camilla and children Brenda and Jeff) and many other beloved Smith family members; grandchildren Spencer Wheeler, Jr. (Lauren), Ameri Wheeler, Stege Wheeler (Lauren), and Thaddeus Carl Wheeler III; and great grandchildren Riley Kate, Rowe, Spencer III, Reid, and Shep Wheeler; her sister Jean Dodd and niece Joanne Hoggard, and many great nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind a host of "adopted sons and daughters" who looked to her as a second mom and loved her to the end...Snuffy, Craig, Bobby, Alan, Paul, Charlie, Don, Kristel, Clara...the list goes on and on. And Tina, only God knows all you did for her and how much she loved you! To all of you, thank you for loving her so well. She truly loved you like sons and daughters.Lois was an unbelievably healthy and active "young person at heart" who lived independently until a few months before her death at 99 years young. Whether it was driving, shopping, dancing, going to church or attending a Windsor Forest High School reunion with her sons' classmates, she didn't need any help. She had always told her family that we wouldn't find her sitting in a rocking chair when she got old, and she was true to that promise. During her lifetime, she was a sweet daughter and loving sister, a loving wife, the "cool" (and pretty!) mom, fun Nana to her grands and great grands, whom she adored, a den mother, a class mom (many times over), an active member of White Bluff Presbyterian Church, a longtime secretary for the Psychology Department of Armstrong State College, loved by students and faculty alike; a Pink Lady (Candler Hospital volunteer with over 1000 hours), a member of Toastmasters (which she joined to overcome her fear of public speaking and ended up winning awards for her speeches and storytelling); and a member of the Classic Ladies, entertaining residents in nursing homes with music, storytelling, and dancing, often alongside her husband Jim. In 1999 she had the great honor of being crowned Ms. Senior Savannah. Her husband Jim was the Master of Ceremonies for the pageant that year and serenaded her to "It Had To Be You" as she was crowned, which was the highlight of the night. Not surprisingly, during Lois's pageant days, she was also named Ms. Congeniality more than once.Lois was very athletic and was always up for a new adventure. She taught all her grandchildren to swim. She performed clogging routines with her dance group through the streets of Savannah at St. Patrick's Day parades. She learned to belly dance (yes, belly dance!) and was a beautiful ballroom dancer. Beginning in her late 80's, she became a devoted race walker, and with the help of her dear friend and physical therapist Kristel Maes, won her age group in the Savannah Bridge Run and other area races. At 99, she was a regular at the YMCA track, where she'd walk a mile or more with the encouragement of her sweet friend and adopted family member Ousmane Diarra. She was also a fashion show model for J.B. White, Belk, and the Elks Club; she loved creating beautiful needlepoint, crochet, and embroidery pieces; she was an avid gardener with her longtime friend Peggy Parrish, and was also a turkey hunter with a prize turkey hanging in her living room to prove it.At the time of her passing, Lois was still an active member of the WBPC Ladies Circle, the Christian Women's Club, the Republican Women's Club, and the Huntingdon Women's Guild. She was faithful to keep up with all her friends and family, especially her dear sister Jean, with phone calls, texts, and Facebook. The last seven years of her life, she loved spending time with her best friend Maryann Rodricks, whom she considered a gift straight from God, and with whom she traveled the U.S. and loved All Things Trump. That was Lois! As so many have said of her, she was a remarkably positive, sweet, beautiful Southern lady, "a class act." She will be greatly missed. TThe family wishes to thank all of you who have poured into her life with such love and care, especially of during these last few difficult months. As hard as it was, we saw the glory of God in each and every one of your kind acts and words. Lois loved Jesus, and she was able to "taste and see that the Lord is good" and feel His love deeply through each of you. There is no greater ministry. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.A few personal thanks…Tina and Lenny, our endless thanks for all your help. You're always there when we need you, and we love you.Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Paul Hinchey and the supportive, loving folks at St. Joseph's Hospital, especially the ICU nurses, doctors and staff, for their superb care for Lois. And to Amanda Clendenen, thank you so much. You were truly an angel to us all.To the caring nurses and staff at Hospice Savannah, you were incredible. What a Godsend at such a hard time! And Pastor Curtis Belton, thank you for taking so much time to minister to Lois and to us, and for all your guidance and prayers.Thanks to Dr. Robert Brown for kindly and thoroughly taking care of Lois for so many years, and to Dr. Samuel McElroy for doing the same in her final years.To WBPC Pastor John Reuhl and all Lois's church family, we thank you for loving her so well all these years, especially after Jim passed. She loved you all and truly considered you family.And for all the rest we couldn't name, just know your kindness did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Most importantly, God noticed. May He bless you: "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and the one who waters others will himself be watered." Proverbs 11:25 All our love!The Family of Lois SmithA visitation will be Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Fox & Weeks Hodgson Chapel form 2:00 until 4:00. The celebration of life will be Sunday, February 16, 2025, at White Bluff Presbyterian Church at 2:00.