Mrs. Mary Ellen Smiling of Pembroke, North Carolina was born on September 4, 1964, to the late Mr. Jessie Clark and the late Mrs. Nellie Locklear Clark in Scotland County, North Carolina. She departed this life to her eternal life on Saturday, February 27, 2021, at Scotland Memorial Hospital, Laurinburg, North Carolina. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her son James Cody Smiling, a brother James Allen Clark, two sister in laws Lenora Clark and Diane Clark.

On Saturday, February 27, 2021, Mary went to be in peace where there's no more struggle to fight or pain to suffer Mary Ellen was one of a kind and there will never be another like her. She was a daughter that never stopped, a loving wife, a supportive mother, an adored grandmother, a protective sister, a dedicated friend, a giving neighbor, a survivor of cancer, and anything else that crossed her pathed. She was a humble person that didn't have a selfish bone in her body. She had a green thumb when it came to flowers of any kind and a friend as well. Once you met Mary and spent time talking to her, it was as if the relationship would just grow from her presence.

Mrs. Mary leaves to cherish her memories her husband James Andrew Smiling of the home, her daughter Ellen Blowe and husband Clifford of Lumberton, North Carolina, three brothers Delton Clark and Freida, Jimmy Clark all of Laurinburg, North Carolina, Jessie Lee Clark, and Sibyl of Maxton, North Carolina, three grandchildren Brandon Cody Locklear, Scott Haven Locklear, Caitlin Francess Jacobs along with a host of other relatives and friends.