Donna Kaye Blythe

December 19, 1958 – September 12, 2021

Service

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Family Visitation: 1:00 P.M.

Funeral Service: 2:00 P.M.

Held at

North Boulevard Church of Christ

1112 North Rutherford Boulevard

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

****

Interment

Johnson Road Cemetery

Christiana, Tennessee

Watch Live at 2:00 P.M.

http://www.facebook.com/nelsonandsonsfuneralhome/posts/270128444963284

Donna Kaye Smotherman Blythe, a devoted wife, a loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, was a beautiful and virtuous soul. She blessed this earth with her entrance on December 19, 1958 to Lucille Pope Smotherman and the late Roy Mitchell Smotherman.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Teresa Ann Smotherman; great-niece, Tiara Jimmerson; grandparents, Horace Smotherman & Ida May Kirby Smotherman, Grady Ransom and Dora Lou Watkins Pope York.

Donna married the love of her life and the apple of her eye, Jerry Lynn Blythe, on October 20, 1984. To this union, God blessed them with two beautiful children, Lynnaye “Nayla” LaCole Blythe and Jerry “Junior” Blythe, Jr. Together they raised them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and taught them to be strong, quiet, intelligent and successful adults.

She obeyed the gospel at age 11 or 12, and became a faithful disciple, serving and ministering to others using her gifts until she passed away. She dedicated her life to being a light for Christ. She and her family expanded their stewardship to Johnson Road C.o.C., Bradyville Road C.o.C., Lane Street C.o.C., North Blvd. C.o.C. and Rural Hill C.o.C. One of the highlights in her life was being a part of the Prison Ministry at Rural Hill when Jerry was a deacon.

Donna’s education began at Christiana Elementary School through the 8th grade. She subsequently graduated from Riverdale High School in 1976, making her class the first to attend RHS for all four years. She completed her studies with a 2-year Nursing Assistant degree at MTSU where she graduated top of her class. She started her career as an employee with Rutherford County in January 1984, and later became the Administrative Supervisor in the Property Assessor’s Office until she retired in January 2016.

Some hobbies she enjoyed doing were traveling, going to the movies, spending time with family and collecting bells everywhere she went.

Donna was one of the founders and a committed member of the A cappella group, The Candlelights, where she shared her lovely and sweet alto voice for almost 40 years.

She was a fervent and dependable caregiver to her late father, Roy Mitchell Smotherman, and her mother, Lucille Pope Smotherman, from 2011 until her unexpected passing.

She leaves to cherish her memories, her loving husband of 37 years, Jerry Blythe, Sr.; two children, Lynnaye Blythe and Jerry Blythe, Jr.; three sisters, Carolyn Pope Woods, Venice (Joe) Daniel-Sneed and Pamela Smotherman-Williams; Aunt Bertha Smith; Uncle Jimmy Pope; nieces and nephews, Tiffany Woods-Meredith, Jason Woods, Maria Woods, Tarra (Julian) Johnson, Eric (Tracy) Daniel, Cedrick (Lauren) Williams and Cededra Williams.

Brothers and sisters-in-law, Louvenia Armstrong, Verna Powell, Cenia Cunningham, Ellis Jones, Joyce Blythe, Januas Blythe, Hilda Blythe, Paul Blythe, Louis Blythe; and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews.