Monday, October 21, 2013

Barbara Rae Avis Smart

Barbara Rae Avis Smart passed away peacefully on Sunday October 20, with family at her side. She was born December 12, 1932 in Roanoke, VA, the daughter of Lois Bond Avis Starke and Martin Luther (Skip) Avis, both departed.
 
 
Barbara is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jerry Ross Smart of Orlando, and her daughters Linda Lani Kress, Bonnie Susanne Salem, Jeri Carolynn Mooney, Kristie Marie Viehman and Sandra Leigh Smart Payne.  She is also survived by her 5 sons-in-law, 9 grandchildren, 2 great grandsons, and many valued friends and colleagues.
 
 
A Realtor in the Orlando area for 42 years, Barbara was a career agent for several Realtors until her retirement. Her family and friends will remember her as a funny, creative, beautiful, and graceful woman who excelled as an ad hoc hula instructor, swing dancing “champion”, artist, ballet costume seamstress, stylish bowler, sly Bridge partner, dance and music lesson chauffer, and fashionably late. She was active in the Women’s Council of Realtors, the Junior Women’s Club of Orlando and Beta Sigma Phi and served as a PTA president, Girl Scout, and Brownie leader. She loved warm sandy beaches, especially any place that reminded her of Hawaii, where she lived for several years. We will miss her laugh, watching her dance with Dad in the kitchen, her ability to fall asleep anywhere/anytime, and her potato salad.
 
We bid Barbara, a beloved daughter, cherished wife, and devoted mother, a fond Aloha and will honor her memory with love, laughter, dance, song, and tears: a sea of tears.
 
A graveside service for family and friends will be held at 12:00 noon at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in Winter Park, Florida on Wednesday, October 23.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.Alz.org or to Hospice of the Comforter at www.hospiceofthecomforter.org.

3 comments:

Mattie Jones said...

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your dear loved one. As you prepare to lay your loved one to rest; to sleep in death for just a little while(John 11:11) I hope your family will find solace in the promise of Jesus to awaken those who are now sleeping in death(John 5:28,29) to restore them back to life; this time with the hope to live eternally on the renewed Paradise earth, so that God, the Father’s will, will be done on the earth.-Matthew 6:9,10; Luke 23:43. Until that wonderful blessed promise is fulfilled, may Jehovah God soothe your grieving hearts now and grant you peace and comfort, during this most sadden time; until you are reunited with your loved one again .-Matthew 5:4.


Christie DeCosta said...

That obituary was beautiful. Mrs. Smart will truly be missed by all. The one comfort and solace is that she is now at peace and that we will all one day be reunited with her in heaven!

Cousin Larry and Beverly said...

To Jerry and Family
Barbara will be missed by all.
May your hearts find healing in cherished memories. Our prayers are with you always.