Sybil Smith

Sybil Ellen Rowan Smith, age 99, died January 21, 2013 Mrs. Smith was a resident of Jackson County, Mississippi since 1974. A native of Florida, she was born in Gadsden County to the late Susie Jane Ferrell Rowan and the late Stephen Richard Rowan. On December 18, 1933 she married Wilbur Ley Smith and in 1942 they moved to Port St. Joe, Florida. They were both charter members of Long Avenue Baptist Church of Port St. Joe. She retired from the Accounting Department of St. Joe Paper Company in 1973 and they moved to Mississippi. They were active members of Franklin Creek Baptist Church until his death in 1978. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Smith moved to Pascagoula (MS) where she became a member of First Baptist Church and the Pascagoula Garden Club. She had also been a member of the Moss Point Garden Club. She was an excellent cook and an accomplished seamstress. In addition to her parents and her husband, she is preceded in death by her son, Wilbur Ley Smith, Jr., grandson Wilbur Garrett Smith, brothers Robert Jefferson Rowan, John Daniel Rowan, Herman Colonel Rowan, Oma Eric Rowan and sisters Doris Louise Neely and Marguerite Jane Nadaud. She is survived by a daughter, June Elizabeth Smith Fairley ("Pete" P. B.) of Moss Point, Mississippi. Also surviving are herfour grandchildren, Joyce Fairley Morris(Roy "Bud", Jr.) and Teresa Fairley Barber of Pascagoula; Laura Smith Bonnette (Philip) and Kendall Ley Smith (Lisa) of Slidell, Louisiana. Surviving great grandchildren are William Heath Morris and Ryan Broscoe Morris (Laura) of Pascagoula; Lauren Elizabeth Massengale of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Bradley Austin Massengale of Petal, Mississippi, Kacey Nicole Bonnette, Tyler Garrett Bonnette and Logan Ley Smith of Slidell; Great great grandchildren surviving are Caitlyn Annellen Morris and Bradyn Andrew Morris. She is also survived by one sister, Lucille Holloway Shotts of Chattahoochee, Florida. Visitation will be Wednesday, January 23, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Holder Wells Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Dennis Ray Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Machpelah Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Heath Morris, Ryan Morris, Kendall Smith, Bradley Massengale, Philip Bonnette and Bud Morris, Jr. Arrangements by Holder-Wells Funeral Home, Moss Point, Mississippi.

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Sybil Smith

November 11, 1913 - January 21, 2013