Jessie Mae Smith

Jessie Mae Smith, 74, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Monday, January 5, 2026, at Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas, Georgia.

Funeral services will be held 2 PM, Friday, January 9, 2026, at New Bethel Holiness Baptist Church in Ben Hill County, Georgia, with the Rev. Edsel Young and the Rev. Nick Gardner officiating. Interment will follow in the New Bethel Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday evening, from 6 PM until 8 PM, at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.

Ms. Smith was born October 1, 1951, in Telfair County, Georgia, to the late Danny Lucious & Mildred Wooten Hulett. She was owner and operator of J & J Trucking and worked as a cashier and a seamstress. She greatly loved her puppies, Maggie and Bandit. Ms. Smith was affiliated with New Bethel Holiness Baptist Church.

She is survived by her children: Melissa Ward & Don of Tifton, Jessica Jackson & Chris of Fitzgerald and Hershell Smith & Sonya of Fitzgerald; 11 grandchildren: Myra Carter & Randy, Kirk Easom & Katelyn, Kaci Caves, Emilee Smith, Luke Smith, Alyssa Smith, Kyle Jackson, Jacob Smith, Bill Smith and Marcus Jackson; 9 great-grandchildren: Jackson Carter, Caleb Carter, Cain Carter, Raelynn Easom, Rhett Easom, Klaire Caves, Grayson Easom, Maddie Mae Edwards and Kamden Caves; a brother, D. L. Hulett of Telfair; two sisters: Ann Boney of Scotland and Maudlean Spires & Hardy of Milan. Several nieces and nephews also survive. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Keegan Caves; father of her children, Charles A. Smith; three brothers: Frank Hulett, Elza Hulett and Jeff Hulett and a niece, Meredith Patel.

Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, is in charge of arrangements.