Mary Elfrieda (Smith) Perkins was born on August 25, 1961, in Moore Station, Texas. She was the seventh child born to Charles Esther Smith, Jr. and Ara Lee (Smith) Cofer.  She attended Central Elementary, Brownsboro Middle and High School and graduated in 1979. While at Brownsboro High, she excelled athletically in Track and Basketball. After graduating, she married Kenneth Terry and to their union two children (Kanichia and Jeremy) were born. She was later married to a gentle man,named Joe Thompson and to this union two children (Billy and Chrystol) were born.
Mary was baptized as Jehovah's Witness July 27, 1985, and joined Kingdom Hall of Tyler, Texas. She moved to Shreveport, Louisianaand joined the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Shreveport Blanchard Highway where she became a Pioneer September 1, 2016, and was a Pioneer until she passed. Mary remained faithful to her convictions of faith until she fell asleep on January 16, 2023.

Mary was preceded in death by her father Rev. Charles E. Smith, Jr., three sisters, Anita Marie, Vera Mae and Betty Ruth Smith and two brothers Jerry Wayne Smith and Caesar Samuel Smith and one niece, Jocelyn Smith (Zilpha)
Those who are left to cherish her memories are: a loving mother, Ara L. Smith; three brothers, William Charles, Kenneth Neal (Bessie) and Vernon Darrell Smith; four sisters, Tina R. Sheffield (Lonzo III), Zilpha J. Smith, Lois K. Perry (Raymond) and Ruby L. Smith, two uncles, James E. Smith (Elvira), Ira Lee Cofer (Genelle), four children, Kanichia LaShun Smith (Justin), Jeremy Dwight Thompson (Ladina), Billy Joe Thompson, Chrystol Elizabeth Thompson, and granddaughter LaChrystol Charde Smith who she
raised from two months old and a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and classmates.