<!-- DisplayFullObituaryText -->Sept. 29, 1910 - Oct. 18, 2014 Velma Newman Smyth, widow of Henry Melvin Smyth, died at Galleria Woods Retirement Community in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at the age of 104. Mrs. Smyth was born on September 29, 1910, to Lee Claudius Newman and Alabama (Bama) Taylor Newman in Opelika, Alabama. She graduated from Clift High School in Opelika and attended Alabama College, State College for Women, now University of Montevallo. After marriage to Mr. Smyth, they lived in Opelika for sixty years where they were members of First Baptist Church. In later years, they moved to Birmingham where they were members of Riverchase Baptist Church. After Mr. Smyth died, Mrs. Smyth joined her family at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church. Mrs. Smyth's love for her family, church, missions work, and civic activities led her to her involvement as a Sunday School teacher, Woman's Missionary Union leader, participant in local missions projects, PTA president, Red Cross volunteer, and Girl Scout leader. She was a woman of strong faith and deeply committed to living a Christian life. She genuinely cared about the welfare of people around her and sought to make a positive difference in their lives. Mrs. Smyth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three sisters and their spouses: Christine and Archie Tidwell, Ruth and Lonnie McNutt, Rachel and Norman Howell; brother-in-law William Polidoro; and two siblings who died in early childhood. She is survived by her sister, Grace Polidoro of Auburn, Alabama; her daughter and son-in-law, Marlene and Crawford L. Taylor, Jr. of Birmingham; her son and daughter-in-law, Emily and H. Melvin Smyth, Jr. of Opelika; two grandchildren and their spouses, Logan and Sara Taylor and Merryl (Taylor) and Jason Cooper; five great-grandchildren: Camille, Emily and Taylor Cooper, and Ava and Madeleine Taylor, all of Birmingham; several nieces and nephews and their families. The family extends deep gratitude to the staff of Galleria Woods Skilled Care over a number of years and to Life Choice Hospice in recent weeks for their skillful and caring medical expertise. We are equally grateful to the staff, friends, and the We Care group at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church whose love and support have been invaluable to us all. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 in Rosemere Cemetery, Opelika, with arrangements by Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Vestavia Hills Baptist Church Missions Fund, 2600 Vestavia Drive, Birmingham, AL 35216; First Baptist Church of Opelika, 301 S. 8th Street, Opelika, AL 36801; or to Woman's Missionary Union, P.O. Box 830010, Birmingham, AL 35283.