Gertrude Beverly Smith of Watkinsville, formerly of Tifton, died Sunday, March 23, 2008, at her daughter’s residence in Watkinsville. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, at Wayside Baptist Church. Rev. Phillip Smith and Rev. Smith Gentry will officiate with burial to follow at Wayside Baptist Church Cemetery. Grandsons: Michael Smith, Shane Smith, Gary Hale, Kevin Hale, Mike Beach, Josh Godwin, Keith Watson and Benjie Bradshaw will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Smith was born on March 8, 1914 in Ware County and was the daughter of James Walter Beverly and Mary Hendricks Beverly, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Lewis Carold Smith; one brother, James Daniel Beverly; and one sister, Janie Ruth Bennett. She was retired from Oxford Management and attended Wayside Baptist Church. She was a special lady who loved her family and enjoyed gardening, both in vegetables and flowers.
Mrs. Smith is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Billy and Louise Smith of Cairo, Charles and Donna Smith of Valdosta and Roger and Charlene Smith of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Janice and Albert Hale of Watkinsville; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Lourine Lloyd of Waycross and Blanche and Toby Strickland of Waycross; two sisters-in-law, Martha Sue Smith of Homerville and Betty Jean Halford and her husband, Frank, of Homerville; eight grandchildren, Michele Beach of Tifton, Michael Smith of Americus, Gary Hale of Watkinsville, Kevin Hale of Watkinsville, Becky Watson of Valdosta, Susan Bradshaw of Valdosta, Shane Smith of Tifton and Mandy Godwin of Alabama; and 13 great grandchildren.