Teresa Smith Motes

Teresa Smith Motes, 66, of Newport, passed away peacefully while at her home, surrounded by her family on Monday, September 14, 2020, to continue her journey home to heaven, after her battle with cancer. She was a loving wife and wonderful mother.

A Celebration of Teresa’s Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2020, at Newport Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. Jack Bowen. Interment will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Newport. Friends are welcome to attend the service. For those unable to attend, the family invites you to view the webcasting of the service through her obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. In keeping with the CDC guidelines pertaining to the Coronavirus, those who are ill or at-risk (elderly, immune-compromised) are encouraged to stay home. Additionally, there will be a limit to the number of people in the building at one time, as well, those who attend will be asked to bring and wear a protective mask. Help us honor the family while practicing safe measures. Friends are also encouraged to leave words of comfort to the family through the website.

Teresa was born on December 24, 1953, in Morehead City, North Carolina, to the late Charlie Roland and Christine Alene Smith. She grew up in Newport and attended Newport Elementary School and later attended and graduated from West Carteret High School. While in school, she worked part time at the Newport Shirt Factory.

On June 24, 1972, she married Gervase William Motes and together they moved to Lincolnton, NC. There, she worked as a Legal Secretary. In November of that year, she and her husband moved back to Newport. She then worked for First Citizens Bank for several years before taking a position as Import Export Manager at the Morehead City Port working for Southern Overseas and Morehead City Shipping. After her three children were born, she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant and bus driver at Newport Elementary a couple years before taking the position of School Secretary there. She retired from the school system after 25 years.

Teresa was a Christian woman and loved life and being with friends and family, especially spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was gifted in many areas, but her passion was music and singing and she could play several instruments. She loved her church and served as Church pianist and Choir Director as well as being a Sunday School Teacher at times and choir member most of the time over the 60 plus years she was a member there. Her hobbies not only included playing the piano but doing various crafts and making quilts as well as cooking. She loved plants and was always busying herself with her plants, of all kinds, to help beautify her home. She loved to travel and see new places and to go camping, especially when she could have all her children and grandchildren with her. She always made family outings and vacations fun.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Gervase Motes and by her children, Helen and husband Craig Dawson of Clayton, NC, Jonathan and wife Emily Motes of Coldwater, MI and Suzanne and husband Adnan Tvrtkovic of Sanford, NC. She is also survived by her brother, Perry Smith of Newport; and five grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Shirley McKiddy; brother-in-law, Steven Motes; and sister-in-law, Pat Motes.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2020, at Newport Baptist Church. The same safety guidelines will apply.

Flowers are welcome, but in lieu of flowers a contribution to the American Cancer Society in her name would be appreciated. Donations may be sent to 930-B Wellness Dr., Greenville NC 27834

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.