Ashley Gwaltney Smith, 38, of Greenville, S.C., died Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at her home.

She was born Dec. 6, 1982, in Suffolk, the daughter of William Albert Gwaltney Jr. and Rebecca Rose Gwaltney. She was the beloved wife of Charles A. Smith, of Greenville.

Ashley grew up in Windsor on the family farm and graduated from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in 2001. Upon graduating from Virginia Tech in 2005, Ashley worked for the CIA for two years before marrying her husband Charles Smith on June 16, 2007. When they joined in marriage, she moved to Greenville, S.C., and began working for Lockheed Martin and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina. She spent 13 years with Lockheed negotiating contracts and building deep friendships with her colleagues. At the time of her passing, she was leading the Contracts team for the Greenville site.

Ashley was a truly incredible person who had a deep faith in God, loved building relationships and helping people. She touched so many lives and we are all better in this world because of her. Ashley was a model for being a daughter, wife, mom and friend to many in the most difficult of times. Ashley had a light within which shone outward. If you knew her, your life was better. Ashley served as a role model to many of us for what is right and good in life. Her passion for living revolved around family and friends, especially her children, Charles (8) and Katherine (6). She instilled the values she was brought up on of working hard, having a positive attitude, and foremost, being kind.

She is survived by her husband, Charles A. Smith, of Greenville; two children, Charles A. Smith Jr. and Katherine Smith; her father and mother, William A. Gwaltney Jr. and Rebecca Rose Gwaltney, of Windsor; two sisters Hollis (Bobby) Bridges, of Windsor, and Brett (Daniel) Bowie of Hanover; in-laws Dr. J. Alexander Smith and Jerri Lee Smith, of Fallston, Md.; sister in-law Elizabeth (Taylor) Whitehurst, of Fallston, Md.; brother in-law, James Smith, of Fallston, Md.; and nieces and nephews Tucker Whitehurst, Grayson Whitehurst, Lane Bridges, Easton Bowie, and Bennett Bridges; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family is receiving visitors on Friday evening through Sunday evening and after the funeral at 14186 Five Forks Road, Windsor, VA 23487. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, March 22, 2021, by the Rev. R. Samuel Askew in the Windsor Christian Church. Burial will be private. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, 509 W. Washington St. Suffolk is serving the family. Condolences may be registered at RWBakerFH.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ashley’s honor to the Greenville Making Strides Against Breast Cancer at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/AshleyGSmith or mailed in Ashley’s honor to MSABC of Greenville, S.C., at: American Cancer Society, 1901 Brunswick Ave., Ste. 100 Charlotte, NC 28207.