“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” – Revelation 14:13
In the early morning hours of Thursday, May 21, 2020, our cherished mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, relative, pastor, Godmother, teacher, minister, and friend—Dora Faye Tomey, 83, a longtime resident of Globe, Ariz., went home to be with her heavenly Father. She passed away at Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa, Ariz. Although her passing was unexpected and sudden, she peacefully entered eternal rest.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 tells us, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die.”
Psalm 139:7, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well…Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”
Sister Faye has fulfilled her purpose under heaven and completed all the days that the Lord fashioned for her. 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Praise God, Sister Faye fought the good fight of faith, finished her race here on earth and she kept the faith. She is now resting from her labor and her works will continue to follow her for many years and for many generations to come. The Lord had mercy and gave her eternal rest in Him, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?” (Ruth 3:1)
Sister Faye was born June 12, 1936, at Upper Ellis Road, Gilmer County, WV, to her father and mother the late Eva Lucinda (Lesson) and the late Howard Tomey. She married the late Carnell Smith on July 20, 1955. She followed her late brother Ronald Tomey from West Virginia to Arizona, where she resided the remainder of her life.
Many were blessed to have been loved by her and to have loved her. Hold onto her love, the bonds and special memories that were formed, and especially for the words she prayed and prophesied over your life and the lives of your loved ones. Above all, God is faithful to His word. What Sister Faye prayed over you and for your family, under the anointing of the almighty God, He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (“Her works will follow her…”).
She proudly lived and faithfully served on the San Carlos Apache Reservation most of her life. She was the residing pastor of Cutter Church in San Carlos, Ariz., for many years, “the church on top of the hill.” She preached throughout many Indian Reservations over the years and was called on by many tribal leaders and dignitaries to pray for their communities and families. As powerful and anointed as she was, she was also the humblest person anyone could meet. Many spiritual sons and daughters sat under her anointing to build their faith and to be taught the word of God—even up to her last days here on earth.
She loved hearing the mighty and powerful word of God from various ministers across the country and when she traveled to attend Native camp meetings and revivals. She had an open invitation for ministers to preach at Cutter Church and she would always remind them of this invitation whenever she saw or heard from them. At her church, she would often call upon people to sing for the Lord or to share a word of testimony about the goodness of the Lord. In the past few years, she shared how much she had a yearning and desire to see her brothers and sisters in the Lord but due to health reasons she was unable to travel. However, she continued to pray for them and lifted them up to our heavenly Father. She shared in a video recording that she loves them all and misses their fellowship and said, “If I don’t see you here on earth, I’ll see you when we are walking on the streets of gold together!” (Revelation 21)
Sister Faye was known by many to have a beautiful voice in which she sang hymns of praise to her Lord and Savior. She was also known for yodeling. She enjoyed the fellowship of the saints, cooking, baking, laughing and visiting about the Lord. She was known for her wisdom and guidance and had a kind and caring heart that many were drawn to.
Throughout any given day, many people would stop by Sister Faye’s house to visit and to ask for and to receive prayer, as many were drawn to the powerful anointing on her life. They would stop by to bring their tithes and offerings, to help around the house or repair things for her, to give her food and groceries and other items she needed and to gift her with clothing, perfume and jewelry. Sister Faye would praise God for supplying all her needs and declare that she, “Serves a Great and Mighty God who owns all the cattle; He’s with me and supplies all of my needs and desires.”
If anyone came to her for prayer, she would pray for them immediately and would also call on other saints of God to request their prayers in agreement for each person who was in need. Matthew 18:19, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” If you knew Sister Faye, you knew this to be true. She was a powerful, mighty warrior for the Lord and wielded the word of God like a two-edged sword because the Spirit of the Lord was upon her. He anointed her to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to set at liberty those who were oppressed. (Luke 4:18) Whether on the phone or in person, she was known to declare, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” (Isaiah 59:1) When she felt the spirit of the Lord she’d exclaim, “Woo, glory!”
Many of her nieces and nephews, and their families would travel to visit Sister Faye or wrote letters back and forth over the years to stay connected. Some would come to her home and were fed traditional food and fry bread and she gifted them with Native jewelry, which they enjoyed. She was loved by so many and she never met a stranger.
She is survived by her son Carl Patten Smith and wife Julie and grandchildren James, Gregory, Kevin and Jeffery Smith of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter Olivia “Libby” Bunch and grandchildren Ciara, Nathaniel Jr., Nathan and Chenille; and her grandchildren she helped to raise Phillip and Jacob Lewis (her late son Tyrone Lewis’ children), all from Globe, Ariz.
She is survived by two sisters Rosa Westfall of Clarksburg WV and Betty Riggs of Kentucky and two brothers Jack Tomey of Linn, WV and Dale Tomey of Alum Bridge, WV. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and their families. She had numerous (too many to count) adopted/spiritual sisters, daughters, sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren in the Lord, whom she loved just like they were her own.
She was preceded in death by her mother the late Eva and father Howard; late husband Carnelle Nichols Smith; late son Tyrone Lewis; and her late beloved siblings Bob, Buck, Ruth, Carl, Waitman, Calvin, Judy, David, Charlie, Ronald, Jerry and Jim. She was grieved over the loss of each of her loved ones and loved them all, especially her son Tyrone.
Funeral services were provided by Lamont Mortuary of Globe on Friday, May 29, 2020. Her longtime friend and assistant pastor Patsy Smith officiated the service. Any donations will be used for Sister Faye’s cemetery markers.
Sister Faye, you are sorely missed already but our hearts are comforted knowing that as soon as you were absent from your body, that you were in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:23
May you rest in eternal peace. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”- Psalm 136:1
