Jennette 'Bob' Kelley Smith (GROVETOWN, Ga.)

GROVETOWN, Ga. - Jennette 'Bob' Kelley Smith, 94, died November 23, 2008, at her residence. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 29, 2008, at Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church, with the Reverends Eddie Bradford, Sonny Sellers and Charlie Smith officiating. Interment will be in Old Union Baptist Cemetery. Mrs. Smith was a native of Appling and lived in Columbia County all her life. She was the daughter of the late Felix and Clara Hardy Kelley. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Quinnie Smith, and five sisters, Mamie Kelley, Ruth Morris, Norma Jordan, Etheredge Cliatt and Clara Sleister. She was a member of Lewis Memorial UMC where she was lovingly known as 'Miss Bob'. Jennette was first employed by her father as secretary and bookkeeper. From there she helped open the first lunchroom at Evans High School, then a two year sprint at Woolworth's 5 & 10, and part manager with her husband of a country grocery store. She wrote for the Columbia News Times for 7 years and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol as an Airplane spotter. She also worked in the Sardis election for 35 years and served as manager for 15 years. After her twins were born, she semi-retired until her children were 12 years old then began filling in as census taker and telephone book deliverer. In November 1953, she accepted a position as one of the first female school bus drivers at Evans High School and also sports bus driver. In 1957, she doubled up as Auxiliary Mail Carrier out of the Grovetown Post Office. She retired from the bus after 20 years in 1973 and also from the mail route after 22 years of service in 1979. She loved and valued Lewis Memorial UMC and was a loyal member of the Douglas-Mary Crook Sunday School Class, Day Circle United Methodist Women, and Fall Festival Committee. Survivors include one son, Harold Smith and wife Shirley, Grovetown; one daughter, Carolyn Smith Amerson and husband Wendell, Norwood. Three grandchildren, Rhonda S. Hayes and husband Alan, Wendy A. Kersey and husband Chris, and Tony Amerson and wife Stacey; four great-granddaughters , Kaitlyn Fowler, Kaycie Kersey, Amy Kersey and Lily Amerson and one great-grandson Sam Amerson; also Shirley's daughter Mindy Stephens and family. Pallbearers will be Tony Amerson, Chris Kersey, Alan Hayes, Joe Jordan, Daryl Byrd, and Wendell Johnson; Honorary Pallbearers will be James Hair, David Grimaud, Arthur Grimaud, Marion Cliatt, Clarence Higginbotham, J.D. Boozer, Danny McAlhany, Robert Russell, Sam Pursley, Claude Harper, Jerry Gauge, Lewis Watkins, and Dave Hinner, and all former members of Mary Crook's Sunday School Class, Young at Heart and Day Circle United Methodist Women. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lewis Memorial UMC, 5555 Hereford Farm Road, Evans, GA 30809. Visitation will be held at the Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on Friday evening November 28, 2008, from 6 to 8 PM. Starling Funeral Home, Hwy 78, Harlem, Ga. Please visit www.starlingfuneralhome.com to sign family online guest book. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com

The Augusta Chronicle-November 25, 2008