Caryl Easterday Smith

June 16, 1938  –  May 5, 2026

Caryl Easterday Smith went home to be with the Lord on May 5, 2026. She was 87 years old, and she left this world the way she lived in it, peacefully. She simply fell asleep on earth and woke up in Heaven. She lived every one of those years with a quiet, steady grace that left everyone around her better.

Caryl was born June 16, 1938, in Memphis, Tenn., to David and Myrtle Easterday. She came to faith in Jesus Christ as a young girl, and that faith never wavered. As a young adult, she taught a ladies Sunday School class and Acteens at Whitehaven Baptist Church, pouring herself into the lives of women and teenage girls. She later became a devoted member of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, and, after moving to Georgia, she found a warm church home at First Baptist Alpharetta, and later at GracePoint Church. Each night without fail, she prayed through a long list of family and friends. Some nights she had to start early due to the amount of people she loved and prayed for.

In the fall of 1955, Caryl met William "Sonny" Earl Smith, the man she would love for the rest of her life. They married the following summer. Sonny had hemophilia, a disease that would worsen over time, and going into the marriage, Caryl knew exactly what lay ahead. She chose him anyway, with joy, with hope, and with her eyes wide open. Sonny wrote in his journal that life truly began for him the moment he said, "With this ring, I thee wed." Caryl cared for Sonny faithfully through decades of hospitalizations, financial hardship, and the difficult final years when he was confined to a hospital bed in their home. She faced her own battle with breast cancer at 35, navigating surgery and recovery without ever stepping back from caring for her husband. She bore all of it without bitterness and without running from God. When Sonny finally stepped from this earth into eternity, Caryl missed him every single day. But her faith held.

In 1963, Caryl and Sonny welcomed their son, David. He was the light of her life from the moment he arrived, and she poured into him the same love and devotion she gave to everyone she held dear. She was incredibly proud of David and learned how to navigate her phone just so she could watch him preach online. In her later years, she and David enjoyed sharing their love of gardening each spring and kept all the wildlife near their home well fed.

Caryl worked at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis for many years. Many times, Caryl was the first face a family would see upon admission or visiting each day, and she was the perfect one to share love and compassion. She later joined the staff at Bellevue Baptist Church, where she eventually retired.

After Sonny passed, Caryl threw herself into what she loved most: her family. When her grandchildren were young, they spent most Friday nights with her, and their time together was filled with shopping, playing games, and always included cinnamon rolls with sprinkles for breakfast. Her homemade fudge was the first dessert to disappear at the holidays and was made with love from the recipe on the original marshmallow crème jar (she kept it because the new recipe wasn't as good) and the famous "fudge plates."

At 80 years old, Caryl, affectionately known as "Gran" to so many, and Sugar, her puppy dog and very special daily companion, began a new adventure, moving to Woodstock, Ga., to live with David and Gina. She made friends quickly and endeared herself to so many at church and in their neighborhood. Her lifelong Memphis friendships never dimmed, as she continued to keep in touch by phone and cards. And she kept right on praying for everyone on that prayer list.

During her time in Georgia, she loved spending time with her great-grandchildren. When they came to visit, their first question was always, "Can we go down to Gran's?" Going down to Gran's meant playing with beanie babies she had saved for 20 years, hosting tea parties, feeding the birds and squirrels, watching Paw Patrol and Tom and Jerry, and indulging in candy — always lots of candy. Every visit came with big hugs and lots of laughter.

Those who knew Caryl's heart knew her favorites: her family, her church, God's Word, and "real" Coke (not that diet stuff, thank you very much).

Caryl had a favorite hymn that said everything about who she was. "The King Is Coming" was more than a song. It was the horizon she kept her eyes on through every hard day, every answered prayer, and every step of that quiet, steady grace she possessed. On May 5, 2026, her faith became sight.

Caryl is survived by her son, David Smith (Gina), Woodstock, Ga., two grandchildren, Anna (Nate) Wilson and Will (Kaitlin) Smith, and six great-grandchildren, Manning Wilson, Elizabeth Smith, Patrick Smith, Ellie Wilson, Tate Wilson, and Liam Smith.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William "Sonny" Earl Smith, and her parents, David and Myrtle Easterday.

Services

Visitation:  Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 10–11:30 a.m.

High Point Funeral Home, 3788 Summer Ave, Memphis, Tenn.

Graveside Service:  Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 12 noon

Forest Hill Cemetery Midtown, 1661 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, Tenn.

Caryl loved the Word of God and the local church with her whole heart. In honor of that love, the family invites memorial gifts to Titus 1:5 Ministry, a nonprofit organization founded by her son, David, that supports pastors and churches through seasons of need so they may grow in health and faithfulness for the glory of God. To give, visit https://www.titus15.org/give .

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness."

(Proverbs 31:26)