Harriet Smith Adams

Jennings Funeral services for Mrs. Harriet Smith Adams, 94 will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday August 10, 2013 at Jennings United Methodist Church with Rev. Walter Parker officiating. Burial will be in Greenwod Cemetery under the direction of Miguez Funeral Home of Jennings. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, August 9, 2013 in the funeral home chapel and on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at Jennings United Methodist Church from 8 am till the time of service. Mrs. Adams died at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday August 8, 2013 at Jeff Davis Living Center in Jennings. Born in Jennings on March 26, 1919, to Harriet Sweeney and Dr. Morgan Smith, Sr., she graduated from Jennings High School in 1937, where she was a varsity cheerleader and also a member of the girls basketball team. After high school she attended Morgan Smith, Jr. Vocational School where she studied business and discovered her gift for typing. Her first job was as a notary public and secretary for Percy Smith Title Company. She later worked as the head secretary at Jeff Davis School Board, serving under superintendents Luke Richard , Jake Neely and Lou Gaudet. Mrs. Adams grew up in First Presbyterian Church of Jennings until she married her husband of nearly 40 years, Avery Allison Johnny Adams in 1945 and joined Jennings United Methodist Church. She was a member of JUMC for 67 years and dedicated her time to a number of activities including hosting the Seekers singles group, serving as a member of Ruth Wesley Bible Class and teaching Sunday School. Even in her eighties she could be found baking mountains of her famous M&M cookies and carefully crafting hundreds of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ” with the crust cut off ” for church youth each Wednesday after school. Music was her first love and she grew up singing and dancing with her brothers and father, who founded the first Mens Philharmonic Choir in Jennings. During her youth, the Smith home was often bustling and packed with friends and family singing the night away. Mrs. Adams also served as the Choir director at JUMC, often writing and arranging trios to perform with her daughter, Jeannie and son, John. She also sang at many weddings and funerals throughout the years. In addition, Mrs. Adams was an avid gardener and could often be found in her yard tending to her favorite pansies, yellow roses and Japanese magnolia trees. She spent her life taking care of her family, friends and anyone in need in her community. She is to be remembered for her kind and generous spirit, the way she spread joy everywhere she went, as well as her undying faith in God and the teachings of Jesus. She saw the good in everyone and was passionate about sharing Gods love without judgment, often speaking about her spiritual experiences at lay witness retreats to help inspire others to live a Christian life. She is survived by her daughter, Jeannie (Johnnie) Frederick of Lake Arthur, LA; her son, John (Kerry) Adams of Ruston, LA; a brother, Dr. Walker Sweeney (Beverly) Smith of Lafayette, LA; a sister-in-law, Wymie (Morgan Bugs Jr ) Smith of Jennings, LA; along with nine grandchildren including Rhonda (Joey) Thomas, Doug Reddell, Allison Cryer, Katie (Justin) Miller, Jessica Cryer, Jeanie Lewis, Joy (David) Newberry, Tom (Sheila) Witsman and Tami Witsman; and twelve great- grandchildren including Derek Witsman, Drew (Nicole) Witsman, Hunter Lewis, Skyler Lewis, Breanna Reddell, Courtney Reddell, Gabby Thomas, Caitlin Delafield, Johnny Lynn Miller, Ethan Newberry, Ross Newberry, and Christian Newberry three great-great-grandchildren including Weston Witsman, Hunter Perry, Stephanie Beaxis. Mrs. Adams was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, A. A. Johnny Adams, five brothers, Robert, William Dunham, Sr., Dr. Webb, Fred Mims and Morgan Bugs Jr. (her twin); her first husband Dudley Reddell, who was killed in 1944 during WWII at the Invasion of Normandy; a son, Dudley D.D Reddell; a daughter-in-law, Georgia Blackwell Reddell and four grandchildren, Robbie Reddell, John Reddell, Donnie Witsman and Steven Helmick The family of Mrs. Adams would like to extend special thanks to Jeff Davis Living Center and Louisiana Hospice and Palliative Care of Jennings.