Rita Smith Agnell

Rita Smith Agnell, age 73, of Rutherfordton, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away Thursday, May 15, 2025 at her brother’s home.

Rita was born Sunday, April 20, 1952 in Rutherford County to the late Ted Smith and Inez Petty Smith. She was a dedicated homemaker whose passion was to be a caretaker for those in need. Rita was a member of Broad River Baptist Church and also attended Calvary Baptist Church. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, antiquing, and researching genealogy. She was dearly loved by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She sweetly proclaimed and gave herself the title of MawMaw.

She was born into a large family with much love, which set the foundation to create her own large, loving family that she deeply cherished.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Vance William Tate; her twin sister, Leda Faye Smith; and other siblings, John Henry Smith, Shirley Moore and Jean Smith.

Those left to cherish her memory include a daughter, April Tate McClain (Shane); grandchildren, Gage Turner and Haley Turner (Treble); step-grandchildren, Nicole McClain and Paul McClain (Shanna); great-grandchildren, Oliver, Kason, Adrian, Gemma, Elliott; step great-grandchildren, Jayden, Gavin, Janiyah, Justin, Jaren, Hunter, Tripp, Stryker; siblings, Marie Ingle, Jo Hatfield (Art), Barbara Thompson, Libby Parton (David), Vickie Crosswhite (George), Willie Smith, and Ken Smith (Ann).

The funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Monday, May 19th at the Harrelson Funeral Chapel with Preacher Randy Shields officiating. Interment will follow at Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 pm on Sunday at the funeral home.