Funeral for Nash County soldier

ROCKY MOUNT Sgt. 1st Class Tara Whitaker Smith, 33, was assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion based at Fort Bragg. She deployed to Afghanistan in January.

According to military officials, Smith died from "an unspecified noncombat medical condition." No additional details have been released, but there is an active investigation.

Smith was a native of Spring Lake near Fayetteville and graduated from Northern Nash High School. She is survived by her two sons, ages 8 and 6.

Funeral services were held at the Union Hill Baptist Church in Nashville, NC.