For 70 years, Patricia Ann Smith built a life centered on family, faith, friendship, and the people who mattered most to her. Following her death on August 25, 2026, the Chattanooga community is remembering a woman whose life was deeply connected to the city she called home.
Patricia, of Chattanooga, passed away in a local hospital at the age of 70. Her obituary through Taylor Funeral Home of Chattanooga identifies her birth date as October 12, 1955, and records that she was born in Chattanooga to Lee and Mary Ruth Sales.
For the family and friends now mourning her, Patricia’s passing marks the loss of a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, relative, and friend whose presence reached across generations.
Her life will be remembered not simply through the dates recorded in her obituary, but through the family bonds she nurtured and the relationships she developed throughout her years.
A Chattanooga Life Rooted in Family
Patricia was born and raised in Chattanooga, maintaining a connection to the city throughout her life.
She graduated from Howard High School in 1973 before continuing her education at McKenzie Business College. Her early education was part of a life that would ultimately become defined by the people around her and the family she helped build.
For those who knew Patricia, Chattanooga was more than simply the place where she was born. It was the community where she established relationships, raised her family, and created memories that will now be carried forward by those closest to her.
Her story is closely tied to the people who surrounded her throughout those years.
Faith Was an Important Part of Her Life
Patricia’s faith also played a meaningful role in her life.
She was a member of New Horizon Baptist Church, where she found fellowship and spiritual connection. The church would also become the setting where family and friends will gather to honor her life and say their final goodbyes.
For many families, a church community becomes an important source of strength during difficult periods. Patricia’s connection to New Horizon Baptist Church was therefore part of both her life and the farewell that now brings loved ones together.
Her faith, family, and relationships remain central themes in the memories being shared after her passing.
A Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother
Perhaps Patricia’s most enduring legacy can be found within her family.
She is survived by her sons Brian Sales and his wife, Antoinette; Patrick Smith and Nicole Stewart; and Oscar Buchanan and Jackie Kelly, all of Chattanooga.
She is also survived by her niece and daughter, Karen Sales Williams and her husband, Clathyn.
Patricia’s family extended into several generations. She leaves behind seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, ensuring that the stories and memories connected to her life will continue through younger generations.
For her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Patricia’s life represents a family history they will continue to carry with them.
Remembered by Her Brothers and Sister
Patricia’s family also included her siblings, who shared decades of experiences with her.
She is survived by her brothers Howard Sales and his wife, Denise, and Thomas Sales and his wife, Marie.
Her sister Linda Long and her husband, Johnny, of Knoxville, Tennessee, will also remember Patricia and carry her memory forward.
The loss of a sibling can bring its own unique form of grief, as brothers and sisters often share memories reaching back to childhood and formative years.
For Patricia’s siblings, those memories now become an important part of the life she leaves behind.
A Wider Circle of Loved Ones
Patricia’s family extended well beyond her immediate household.
Among those mourning her are her devoted godsister, Delphine Williams of Chattanooga, along with her uncle Anderson Binn and aunt Dorothy Binns of Los Angeles, California.
Nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and close friends are also among those affected by her passing.
Together, these relationships demonstrate the broad circle of people connected to Patricia throughout her life.
Her obituary reflects a woman whose family connections stretched across generations and geographic locations, from Chattanooga to Knoxville and beyond.
Those Who Went Before Her
Patricia was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her sister Earline Marsh.
Other relatives who died before her include Richard Benn, Grandson Benn Sr., Jimmy Benn Sr., and Jesse Muse.
Their absence is part of the family’s larger history of loss, while Patricia’s passing now adds another chapter to that story.
For surviving family members, remembering those who came before can be an important part of honoring the life Patricia lived and the family history she helped preserve.
Funeral Services for Patricia Ann Smith
Family, friends, and members of the community will have an opportunity to gather and honor Patricia on Friday, September 11, 2026, at New Horizon Baptist Church.
According to Taylor Funeral Home’s current service listing, Patricia will lie in state from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by her funeral service at 11 a.m. The church is located at 2007 East 27th Street in Chattanooga.
Pastor Willie Paul will serve as the eulogist.
Following the funeral service, burial is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Forest Hills Cemetery, located at 4016 Tennessee Avenue in Chattanooga.
Taylor Funeral Home of Chattanooga, Inc. is handling the arrangements.
A Legacy Measured in Family
Patricia Ann Smith lived for 70 years, but the significance of her life cannot be measured simply by the number of years she was here.
Her legacy can be seen in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, relatives, church connections, and friendships.
Every family has stories that are passed from one generation to the next. Some are about major milestones, while others are built around everyday moments—family gatherings, conversations, celebrations, traditions, and memories that become more meaningful with time.
Patricia leaves behind seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who will have the opportunity to continue hearing those stories and learning about the woman whose life helped shape their family.
A Difficult Goodbye for Chattanooga
The loss of Patricia is also a reminder of the connections that bind families and communities together.
For those who knew her, her death creates an absence that will be felt during birthdays, holidays, church gatherings, family celebrations, and ordinary days when her presence would once have been expected.
Grief often arrives in those everyday moments.
A familiar memory can bring sadness, but it can also bring gratitude for the time shared with someone who mattered.
For Patricia’s loved ones, those memories will become part of the process of carrying her forward.
Her Memory Lives Through Those She Loved
Patricia Ann Smith leaves behind a family that spans multiple generations and a network of people who knew her in different ways.
Some knew her as a mother.
Others knew her as a grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, godsister, church member, or friend.
Each relationship represents another part of her story.
While her passing brings sadness, those relationships also ensure that her life will continue to be remembered.
The values she shared, the relationships she nurtured, and the memories created during her 70 years will remain part of the family history she leaves behind.
Final Tribute to Patricia Ann Smith
Patricia Ann Smith was born in Chattanooga on October 12, 1955, and died in the same community on August 25, 2026, at the age of 70.
Her life was shaped by family, faith, education, friendships, and the many relationships she built over the years.
Now, as her loved ones gather at New Horizon Baptist Church and later at Forest Hills Cemetery, they will say goodbye while carrying forward the memories of the woman they knew and loved.
Her children will remember their mother. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember a member of the family whose life stretched across generations. Her siblings and extended relatives will remember the years they shared. Friends and members of her church community will remember the place she held in their lives.
Patricia’s life may have come to an end, but the family she nurtured and the memories she created will continue to tell her story for generations to come.
May Patricia Ann Smith rest in peace, and may her family and friends find comfort in the love, faith, and memories she leaves behind.