Faye Smith

1934 - 2025

TUCKERMAN - Mrs. Faye Malone Smith of Tuckerman departed this life Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at the age of 90. She was born June 9, 1934, the daughter of Roscoe and Jennie Malone. The fifth child out of seven, she and her siblings were close all their lives.

The Malone siblings often brought their families together, with the family and extended relatives sharing a bond that lives on today and will continue to live on in the years to come.

Faye was a proud graduate of Newport High School class of 1954, involved in multiple clubs and organizations, and worked at Sterling's Jewelry Store in downtown Newport during this time, next to Sam Walton's 5 & Dime store. She formed close bonds with everyone, forming friendships that lasted a lifetime.

She married Richard Smith in a small ceremony on Sept. 26, 1956. They were lucky to celebrate 60 years of marriage together before his passing on Dec. 24, 2016. Their marriage produced three sons, Rickey, Danny and Jerry.

Mrs. Faye worked for the Newport City Clerk's office starting in 1954 before she started working at the Jackson County Courthouse under Tax Collector Faye Jackson Lewis. She worked in the collector's office for 21 years, before being elected as Jackson County Tax Collector in 1985, a position she would hold until her retirement in 1998.

She was an active member of many community organizations and committees including the Jackson County Democratic Women, representing the county with others at many state and federal election conventions, including President Bill Clinton's first presidential election campaign in 1992. The years spent in Jackson County government produced some of her proudest moments, achievements, friendships and memories.

After her retirement, she stayed home to help raise her grandkids and be a homemaker. Faye and Richard were very lucky to have six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren to help take care of during their years together, along with all the nieces and nephews from the Smith and Malone families.

Faye was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church in Tuckerman, leading youth Bible classes, helping with Vacation Bible School, and helping corral kids to church camp and other events.

She was also active in the Tuckerman School's Parent Teacher Association, attending many celebrations and events with her children and grandchildren. Ms. Faye went through many hardships over the years but always went out of her way to help others in need, including being a caretaker for her brothers, sisters and husband when the need arose.

In addition to her husband, Richard Smith, she was preceded in death by her parents, her sons, Rickey Smith and Danny Smith, her daughter-in-law, Kathy Smith, and her brothers and sisters, Benny Malone, O'neal Morehead, Opal Hunt, Sammy Malone, Norma McEuin and Emma Nance.

Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Jerry Smith of Tuckerman; six grandchildren, Michael Smith of Tuckerman, Shane Smith and wife Amelia of Newport, Courtney Smith of Tuckerman, Haley Smith of Judsonia, Corey Smith of Clinton and Rickey Smith of Tuckerman. She also has three precious great-grandchildren she loved so dearly, Cambrin Weaver, Spencer Smith, and Siler Smith.

She also leaves behind her sister-in-law, Mary Jane Malone of Newport, a multitude of nieces, and nephews, and a lifetime of other family members, former co-workers and friends.

A special thanks of gratitude goes to her caregivers, Michael Smith, Rosemary Sykes, Sonya Douglas, the staff at Dierksen Hospice, and the staff at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House.

Memorials may be made to the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House or Trails to Tuckerman Historical Society.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today, Jan. 8, at Jackson's Newport Funeral Home Chapel, with interment in Gracelawn Cemetery.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Cambrin Weaver, Benny Malone, Brian Malone, Andy Malone, Clay Malone and Mike Malone.

Honorary pallbearers are her former co-workers at the Jackson County Courthouse including Dianne Burgess, Donna Lewis, Jamie Cason, Pam Graham, Nora Gibson, Dianne Ballard, Thelma Turner, Sandy Henderson and Jerry Carlew.

Arrangements are by Jackson's Newport Funeral Home.

Online registry: www. jacksonsfh.com