Brenda Joyce Smith was born September 18th, 1972 in Calhoun County, Alabama to Thomas Wilson Smith and Mary Elizabeth Cochran Smith, one of many grandchildren of Woodrow and Sybil Smith, Lenora Jowers, and John Henry and Lula Pearl Harrelson Cochran.
She loved her aunts and uncles and was always looked after and cared for by her older sister and brother, Tommy Smith and Nora Turner, and had special relationships with each of her nieces and nephews, Clarissa Boozer, Justin Turner, and Caleb and Nicole Thompson, Micky Hardy as well as her great-niece, Cloe Turner and her mother Brandy Jordan (Brylan, Honesty).
Brenda gave life to four children she cherished: Briana McGinnis, Alyssa McGinnis Chisolm (Will), Savannah McGinnis, and Ryan McGinnis (Jordan). She was blessed with eight beautiful grandchildren: Will Chisolm, Lizzie Chisolm, Waylon Chisolm, Gabby Chisolm, Samuel McGinnis, Jojo McGinnis, Olivia Simavath, and Ryan Simavath.
Brenda went to Roy Webb School and then graduated from Pleasant Valley. After high school, Brenda went to nursing school at Ayers where she became an LPN and worked at Jacksonville Health and Rehab with her cousin Debora and sister Nora for many years. She also worked at Pleasant Valley Elementary School as school nurse and held and enjoyed various other jobs taking care of children and the elderly, including Doctor Ulrich’s office, and Piedmont nursing home.
Throughout her life, she belonged to Community Congregational Holiness Church where she loved choir time, as well as her church family. She sometimes helped with children’s church and the little ones’ Christmas plays.
Brenda loved Kenny Chesney, jelly beans, sweet tea, arguing with her momma, being teased by her nephews, daddy, and brother, gossiping with her niece and sister, happy times with her kids, and being ‘Nonny’ to her grandbabies. Her quirky sense of humor always brought a smile.
She was loved and will be missed.
Very special thanks to Rev. Danny Jeffers, Sister Frankie Anderson, David Abernathy, Diane Bearden, Amanda Bonds, and Leeland McGinnis.
