Jessie Smith

Jessie Speight Smith of Hickory Plains, Arkansas, was born on May 9, 1915, to the late David Newton Speight and Grace McCullough Speight and passed away Wednesday, January 6, 2010. Ms. Jessie was 94. After attending school in Hickory Plains, she graduated with honors from Cotton Plant, Arkansas High School. She then worked in Little Rock and played independent basketball prior to returning to Hickory Plains as a school teacher. She subsequently worked for Young's Department Stores in Carlisle and Des Arc before entering the U.S. Navy during WWII.
Ms. Jessie and Johnie R. Smith were married in 1943 and had two children. In 1952, they moved to Hickory Plains where she was a housewife and assisted Mr. Johnie in his business and cattle farming and was a substitute teacher. She was a member of the Hickory Plains United Methodist Church and was active in all civic and community activities.
Ms. Jessie is survived by her son, Jerry L. Smith and wife Joanie of Commerce, Missouri; her daughter, Mary Grace Smith of Little Rock; a granddaughter, Jessica Grace Smith of St. Louis, Missouri; two step-grandchildren, Alison Gunther and Brant Gunther; one brother, Sherman Speight of Hickory Plains.
Family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Funeral will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 9, 2010, at Hickory Plains Methodist Church, with burial in Hickory Plains Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Hickory Plains Cemetery, P.O. Box 277, Hickory Plains, AR 72066.