Gussie Mae Smith

Ms. Gussie Mae Smith was born December 2, 1949 to the late Rufus Carter, Sr. and Mary Fedrick Carter. She attended Hazlehurst High School. After high school she married the late Hozell Smith, Jr. and to this union four children were born, Naomi, Rodney, Jonathan, and Donathan. She was a housekeeper for several years. She was also employed at the Slip Factory in Denton, Georgia. She joined Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church at a young age and served faithfully in the Culinary Ministry until her health began to fail. She passionately helped others, and in doing so, she began to volunteer with community organizations. She assisted Generation Reaching Educating and Teaching (GREAT) and Brothers Reaching Out to Help Another Succeed (BROTHAS) with their Annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner. On March 18, 2017, the annual Thanksgiving Dinner was officially named "The Gussie Mae Smith Annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner." God called Gussie to her heavenly home on December 22, 2017 at the Vidalia Community Hospice. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hozell Smith, Jr. and her parents, Rufus Carter, Sr. and Mary Fedrick Carter. She leaves to cherish her memories one loving daughter, Naomi Smith of Hazlehurst, GA; three loving sons: Rodney (Terri) Smith of Vidalia, GA, Jonathan Smith and Donathan Smith, both of Hazlehurst, GA; one adoptive son, Steven (Danielle) Hamilton of Hazlehurst, GA; one brother, Rufus Carter, Jr. of Jacksonville, GA; one aunt, Beulah Cheatham of Atlanta, GA; one uncle, Horace Fedrick of Atlanta, GA; mothers-in-law: Elnora Smith of Douglas, GA and Frances Smith of Vidalia, GA; sisters-in -law: Joanne West and Mary Kurtz, both of Douglas, GA and Jennifer Roundtree of Vidalia, GA; brother-in-law, Terrell Roundtree of Orlando, FL; long time best friend, Gayle U. Wooten. She also leaves to cherish her memories eighteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and frien