Mary Ann Smith, of Charleston, Missouri, passed away peacefully on September 29,2017 following a brief illness. She was born June 3, 1928 in Bonne Terre, Missouri, to Dr. David English Smith Sr. and Susie Myrtle Goodin Smith.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Dr. Albert Goodin Smith, sister-in-law Peggy Bronson Smith, and great-nephew Bronson Sellers Smith. She is survived by her brother Dr. David English Smith; sister-in-law Harriet Gurley Smith, nephews David Bronson Smith and Alan English Smith; nieces Ann Smith Elbert, Marrie Smith, and Susan Smith Erba; eight great nieces/nephews and four great-great nieces/nephews and an unending list of cousins.

Mary Ann graduated from Bonne Terre High School as her class salutatorian, and then continued her education at Lindenwood College in Saint Charles, MO, where she earned degrees in biology and English and was a noted equestrian. She spent a year at Washington University before receiving her degree in business administration from George Peabody/Vanderbilt University.

After completing her education, she bought an old dairy farm in Nashville where she gave riding lessons while also working in the finance and accounting department at the Hospital Corporation of America. Subsequently, she returned to Charleston, MO in order to take care of her aging mother.

Mary Ann's interests were many and varied. She had an outstanding love of horses and dogs, bike riding, and genealogy. She spent much of her time making beautiful knitted and crocheted gifts for her family and friends. She even conducted a knitting society in her home and had some of her original knitting patterns published in commercial pattern books.

One of her most notable accomplishments occurred on her 80th birthday as she completed an 80-mile bike ride across Mississippi County. She was encouraged and accompanied on her ride by many family members and friends. Her love for bike riding extended to trips with friends around the eastern U.S. and Europe.

She was a generous philanthropist. Among her many gifts were the creation of the Pearl Scully Scholarship for promising nursing students and being a benefactor at Southeast Missouri State University. However, the epitome of her giving occurred when she endowed an academic Chair at Washington University in St Louis Medical School.

Her giving spirit continued on with her care of dogs. Much of her later life was spent taking in stray dogs and trying to place them in loving homes, especially the homes of family members. When she could not find a loving home for a dog, she set up a kennel at her own home.

Mary Ann was a woman of varied interests, great inner strength and a supporter of all that was family.

The family will receive guests at 1:30 pm and there will be a memorial service at 2 pm October 28, 2017 at the McMikle Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. J. Robert Webster, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Charleston, will officiate.

Private interment will be at I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Charleston Nutrition Center or Washington University Medical School.