Mrs. Elsie Bernice Smith Cavenaugh, age 88 of Wallace, NC, went to her heavenly home on November 13, 2016 at Vidant Duplin Hospital. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Northeast PFWB Church in Wallace, NC conducted by Rev. Billy Toler and Rev. Sam Sumner. Burial will follow at Cavenaugh Family Cemetery in Wallace, NC. The family will receive friends and family one hour prior to the service at the church.

She is survived by two daughters, Betsy C. Easter of Wallace, NC and Deborah Kay C. Parker and husband Terry of Hope Mills, NC, one son, Norwood Cavenaugh, Jr. and wife Mary Lou of Wallace, NC, three grandchildren, Vashti Wood and husband Richard of Reston, VA, Shane Cavenaugh of Wallace, NC and Abigail Stewart and husband Jonathan of Wallace, NC and four great grandchildren, Haley Futrell-Stewart, Payton Cavenaugh, Sophia Wood and Caven Wood.

She was born on December 23, 1927 in Okeechobee County, FL to the late Bernie and Betsey Dail Smith. She is also preceded in death by her husband, Norwood Williams Cavenaugh, three brothers, Hallie Smith, Ray Smith and Ruben Smith and four sisters, Bessie Lanier, Bertha Hunter, Lurine Register and Pauline Rivenbark.

Bernice was a member of Northeast PFWB Church, where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School for the teenagers for many years, then taught Sunday School at Golden Care Rest Home for many years. Bernice loved her Lord and her church, spending many hours "on her knees" praying for "lost souls" and studying her Bible fervently. She spent over 40 years of her life as a beautician. She was known for sending thousands of well-wishing cards to people, baking hundreds of cakes and pies and preparing meals for the sick and needy, visiting nursing and rest homes and caring for the young and old, while teaching of Jesus. Besides her community and church devotion, she baked wedding and birthday cakes as well as catering events, gardening, writing weekly articles for the Wallace Enterprise, and raising a family.

Some of her honors include, "Woman of the Year" with Woodmen of the World and "Woman of the Year" with the Ruritan Club".

Casket Bearers will be Roger Coombs, Jason Cavenaugh, Lark Stott, Floyd Cavenaugh, Journey Hatcher and Scottie Rivenbark. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Forrest Cavenaugh, Russell Cavenaugh, Kenneth Cavenaugh, Chester Smith, Anthony Smith, Avery Smith and Mike Smith.

To sign the guest book, go to www.padgettfuneralhome.com.

A service of Padgett Funeral and Cremation Services , Wallace.