Faith Smith Connelly

Faith Smith Connelly Pendleton, South Carolina Faith Smith Connelly, 80, caring wife of the late David Herbert Connelly, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Rainey Hospice House in Anderson. Born April 7, 1944, in Columbia, South Carolina, Faith was the daughter of the late William Bryant Smith and Sarah Newman Smith. Faith was born loving horses. She began to ride at a very early age and pursued every activity she could with horses despite growing up in the city of Columbia, South Carolina. She would ride her bike long distances just to be able to pet a horse. Faith’s love of horses developed in her dream of starting her own horse farm. That dream became a reality in 1973 when she and her husband Dave bought 30 acres in Pendleton, South Carolina from her close friend, Page Morgan. Faith and Page met in college and remained friends and neighbors for over 60 years. From a cow pasture, Faith and Dave started Foxfire Farm and began breeding and raising Arabian horses. She loved sharing her knowledge and love of horses with her new community. She would often visit elementary schools to educate children. She would take horses to the county fair every year and she sponsored group rides in the local Christmas parades. Faith would often be found at Garrison Arena in Clemson educating people on the Arabian horse breed. Through the years Faith taught many children and adults in Anderson and the surrounding counties the love of horses and how to ride by conducting summer horse camps, leading trail rides, sponsoring horse shows, and boarding and training horses. Faith raised her sweet child Debby at Foxfire Farm as the only child and instilled her love of horses in Debby, spoiled her, and can be remembered singing on the farm “You Are My Sunshine”. In 2005, Faith won the U.S. National Championship top ten 50-mile endurance ride. In 2007, Faith was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Pegasus Award by the Western Carolina Arabian Horse Association for her dedication and service to the Arabian horse breed. Faith educated and brought the Arabian breed to our local area. In 2009, the “Faith Connelly Bridge” was built and dedicated to her at Fant’s Grove trails at the T. Ed Garrison Arena, part of the Clemson Experimental Forest. Faith’s bridge leads you into the trails and camping areas of Fant’s Grove. Faith was the creator of many of the trails and trail maps at Fant’s Grove that are still used today. Faith’s love of horses made many friends throughout the years. Some would say most all Faith’s friends she met through horses. One lifelong friendship developed with Cindy Hadlock, who since moving to the area from Ohio in 1983, has been by Faith’s side daily as they shared their love of the Arabian breed. Many a life has been touched by this friendship. Faith loved her extended family at the farm but was most proud of her grandsons Dylan and Hunter as they played and grew up to be young men on the farm. Survivors include her daughter, Debby Connelly (Cody Dibella) of Augusta, GA; two grandsons, Dylan and Hunter Edmonds; a brother, William B. Smith (Gwen Allen) of Statesboro, GA and a sister-in-law, Carol Connelly of Charleston, SC. In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Connelly was predeceased by her stepmom, Annie Mae Neal Smith of Kershaw, SC. The family will hold a Celebration of Life drop-in and service on Saturday, August 3, 2024, starting at 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Foxfire Farm, 401 Harper Rd, Pendleton, SC 29670. Dr. Courtney Krueger will be officiating the service starting at 2:00 PM. You are invited to come and share with the family and enjoy the house, barn, and horses as we celebrate Faith’s life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Faith’s honor may be made to the Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Rd, Anderson, SC 29621, www.hospiceoftheupstate.org, SC Upstate Equine Council, PO Box 391, Sandy Springs, SC 29677, www.scupstateequine.org, or to Anderson County Paws, 1320 Hwy 29 South, Anderson, SC 29626. Friends are welcome to visit at the family farm. Faith would always say “When I leave this earth, it will be with my cowboy boots on”. Mountain View Funeral Home – Pickens Chapel is serving the Connelly family.

Faith Smith Connelly

April 7, 1944 - July 2, 2024