Mrs. Johnnie Ruth Smith

Mrs. Johnnie Ruth (Walker) Smith, of Live Oak, Florida and Lawrenceville, Georgia passed away on February 23, 2023. She was born in Gainesville, Florida on September 4, 1933, to David Marvin (Johnny) Walker and Mildred Emily Thomas Walker. After attending elementary school in Alachua and graduating from Gainesville’s P. K. Yonge School in 1951, Johnnie Ruth attended the University of Florida, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. While at UF, she met William Carlton Smith, Jr., of Madison, Florida, who was also a student at UF. They were married at First Methodist Church of Gainesville on August 7, 1954. William served in the Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky until 1956, when they returned to Gainesville for William to attend graduate school at UF. William’s 34 year career with UF Extension/IFAS took them to Perry, Bristol, Mayo, Baton Rouge, and finally Live Oak, Florida, where Johnnie Ruth lived full time until 2019. She is a past member of the Perry Woman’s Club, The Live Oak Elks Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Order of the Eastern Star. While her sons were in school, she actively volunteered as a room mother, marching band mom, band booster, church organist and pianist, and as a Gray Lady for the American Red Cross. She and William loved to entertain, and she is widely remembered as an excellent cook and baker. Johnnie Ruth was predeceased by her parents and husband. She is survived by sons William David Smith and his wife Mary Lou, of Cary, North Carolina; John Daniel Smith and his wife Stephanie, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; her sister, Mary Sue Walker Grinnan of Jacksonville, Florida; Sisters-in-law Catherine Smith Hodges of Madison, Florida, and Elizabeth Smith Davis (Shelton) of Perry, Florida. Also surviving are four grandchildren: Jackie Jenkins (Adam) of Cornelius, North Carolina; Rebecca Hoke (Austin) of Asheville, North Carolina; Max Trierweiler of Tarpon Springs, Florida; and Taylor Smith of Lawrenceville, Georgia. She is also survived by her great grandchildren Abby Jenkins, Emily Jenkins, Maggie Jenkins, Hayley Hoke, Graham Hoke and Colin Hoke, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 1:00 pm at T. J. Beggs, Jr. & Sons Funeral Home, Madison Chapel, 235 NW Orange Avenue, Madison, Florida. Burial will follow at Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery, located in the Hamburg Community in Madison County. After the burial, the Family will greet friends and family at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice or to the Ebenezer Cemetery Corporation, C/O Catherine Hodges, 287 NW Hamburg Road, Madison, FL 32341. Beggs Funeral Home (850)973-2258. You can send your condolences to the family on our website www.Beggsfuneral.com.

Mrs. Johnnie Ruth Smith

September 4, 1933 - February 23, 2023