Juanita Smith Thacker Klementovich, 87, of Tifton died Saturday, July 25, 2026, at her residence. Her funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Rex Johnson officiating. A eulogy will be given by Mrs. Klementovich’s son-in-law, Kenny DeBerry. Mrs. Klementovich will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service.
Justin DeBerry, Clay Giddens, Jason Walker, Brian Bracewell, Shane Bruce and Kyle Selph will serve as pallbearers.
Born December 3, 1938, in Tifton, Mrs. Klementovich was the daughter of the late Loren Smith, Sr. and Nora Kennedy Smith May. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Russell Thacker; two sons, Robert Thacker and Timothy Thacker; one grandson, Russ Thacker; one great-grandson, Weston Edge; and two sisters, Lorene Walker and Joyce Ann Nasworthy. Before retiring, she worked in the Personnel Department at J. P. Stevens in Tifton; and she was a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Tifton.
Mrs. Klementovich is survived by her husband, Charles Klementovich of Tifton; one son, Ricky Thacker of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Kenny DeBerry of Sylvester; one brother, Loren Smith, Jr. of Saint Augustine, Florida; four sisters and one brother-in-law, Gerri Selph, Sandra Powell, Hilda and Steve Bruce and Vicki Bracewell, all of Tifton; a daughter-in-law, Beth Thacker; six grandchildren and their spouses, Justin DeBerry (Mary Charles) of Saint Simon’s Island, Amber Hudson (Ben) of Sylvester, Whitney Goff (Billy) of Enigma, Hope Giddens (Clay) of Lenox, Niki Thacker of Tifton and Heather Russell (Austin) of Jesup; and eleven great-grandchildren, Cam Hudson, Case Hudson, Colson Hudson, Raina Giddens, Raegan Giddens, Titus Goff, Fern DeBerry, Charles “Brother” DeBerry, Westlyn Edge, Wyatt Russell, and Stetson Johnson.