Martha Smith Ariail , July 17, 1925 — December 23, 2018

OBITUARY Martha Smith Ariail July 17, 1925 – December 23, 2018 Martha Eleanor Smith Ariail, 93, of Cartersville, GA died Sunday, December 23, 2018. Mrs. Ariail was born July 17, 1925, in Cornelia, GA, daughter of the late Otis Fletcher and Willy-Nilly Smith. She was a graduate and Valedictorian of Cornelia High School and attended Southern Business College (now Georgia State University) in Atlanta.

She left college to work for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. On a fateful bus trip back to Atlanta from her home town of Cornelia, she met a young Georgia Tech student who was also travelling back to Atlanta from the same home town. That young man became the love of her life, the late Horace Ariail.

They married each other in 1948 and spent 56 1/2 years together before Horace’s death. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Martha lived in Decatur, GA, for 45 years and was a member of Columbia Drive Baptist Church during that time.

For 39 of those years, she taught the Sunday School class for 3-year-olds. She also served as Director of the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU), leading this group to be recognized as a Distinguished WMU longer than any other church in the Georgia Baptist Convention. Upon moving to Euharlee 20 years ago, she and her husband became active members of Cartersville First Baptist Church.

Survivors include her daughter, Deborah Ariail Parmenter and son-in-law, Scott Parmenter, of Cartersville, and son, Reverend Thomas Dewitt Ariail and daughter-in-law, Catherine Ariail of LaFayette; grandchildren, Alicia (Phillip) Jehlen, Sarah Parmenter, Jessica (Jason) Bobo, Jonathan (Ashlie) Ariail, Michael (Ali) Ariail, Kayla Ariail, and Nina Ariail; great-grandchildren, Judson Dewitt Bobo, Madeline Jehlen, Caroline Bobo, and Hudson Ariail. She was preceded in death by her husband, Horace Dewitt Ariail, brothers, Philip Smith and Jerry Smith, and sister, Evelyn Kesler. A Celebration of Life Service will be conducted in the Owen Funeral Home Chapel Friday, December 28, 2018 at twelve o’clock noon with Reverend Drew Startup and Reverend Danny Barker officiating.

Interment will follow the service at Yonah Memorial Gardens, Demorest, GA. The family will receive friends Friday, December 28, 2018 from ten o’clock in the morning until the service hour. Please visit www.

owenfunerals.com to leave online condolences for the family. Owen Funeral Home, 12 Collins Drive, Cartersville, GA is honored to serve the Ariail Family during this difficult time.

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