Lillian Lila Burns Smith

Mrs. Lillian Lila Burns Smith, age 96, of Sandersville, passed away on Friday, January 24, 2025, at Heritage Inn in Sandersville. A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Ridgeland Heights Baptist Church with burial following at Washington County Memorial Gardens. Reverend Frank Appel and Reverend L.T. Logue will officiate, and pallbearers will be Charles Ashley Moore, Michael Eugene Smith, Stanton Temples, Bailey Temples, Nathan Temples, and Marc Temples. The family will receive friends on Monday from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of service at the church.

Mrs. Smith was born in Wrightsville, the daughter of the late Herbert L. Burns and the late Irene Paul Burns. After high school, she attended Southern Bell Telephone Operators School in Charleston, South Carolina, and worked her first job at Ralph Evan’s Restaurant in Wrightsville. Mrs. Smith also owned and operated her own store, Lila’s Discount in Sandersville. In her free time, she enjoyed gardening, growing tomatoes and bell peppers, as well as other flowers. Her greatest pleasure was found in relationships and investment in people. She was especially dedicated to her church, Ridgeland Heights Baptist, and was involved in the bus ministry, WMU, the church choir, VBS, and Sunday School. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Eugene Smith, Sr.

Mrs. Smith is survived by her daughter, Teresa Smith Moore and her husband Charles of Tennille; son, Elmer Eugene Smith, Jr. and his wife Susan of Athens; grandchildren, Charles Ashley Moore, Lisa Smith Temples and her husband Marc, and Michael Eugene Smith; great grandchildren, Sage Moore, Azalea Moore, Stanton Temples and his wife Brie, Nathan Temples and his wife Ashley, and Bailey Temples; and great-great grandchild, Fallon June Temples.

The family would like to thank the staff of Heritage Inn and Affinis Hospice for the special care given to their Mother.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Ridgeland Heights Baptist Church, P. O. Box 31, Sandersville GA 31082.

Condolences may be made online at www.mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com

May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.