Margaret Venia Smith

Margaret Smith, 95, of Tuscaloosa passed away May 7, 2024, at DCH Regional Medical Center. Services will be held on Monday, May 13, 2024, at Magnolia Chapel South at 2 p.m. with Scott Stephens officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Memory Hill Gardens with Magnolia Chapel South directing.



She was preceded in death by her husband, William L. Smith; parents, Robert Jessie and Ila Watson Phillips; brothers, Eddie, G.W. "Buddy", Guinn, Waylon, and Ellis Phillips; sisters, Nellie Phillips, Ella Mae Smalley, Dottie Connell, and Nazzie Lee Rogers; son and daughter-in-law, L. Donnie and Anne Smith, and daughter-in-law Brenda Smith.



Survivors include her brother, J.M. Phillips (Eloise); sons, Jimmy Smith, and Jerry Smith (Jan); granddaughters, Amy Minchin (Jonathan), Holly Smith, Jillian Barnette (Kevin), Lesha Stephens (Scott); grandsons, Jay Smith, and Blake Smith; as well as five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.



Margaret, who was called Venia by her parents and siblings, was born and raised in the Brownville community in north Tuscaloosa County. She attended the Montgomery School and Phillips Chapel Freewill Baptist Church. Margaret was a helper on the family farm before going to work at Partlow State School and Andrew Knit. She married William L. "Shine" Smith in 1947, and they briefly moved to Dearborn, Michigan, where Shine, a World War II Veteran, had taken a job with General Motors. Their first son, Donnie, was born there in 1948. They soon returned to Tuscaloosa, where twin sons Jimmy and Jerry were born in 1953.



In 1976, after her twin boys started Smith & Smith Inc., a realty and construction company, Margaret became the office manager and decorator of their homes. Then in the late 1980s, after her husband retired from B.F. Goodrich, they started their own construction company MVS Construction Co., Inc. Margaret worked tirelessly for both companies and enjoyed working with hundreds of home buyers and all the subcontractors in the Tuscaloosa area for over 45 years. The success of these companies is credited to her and her hard work. There was no aspect of the business that Margaret did not have a hand in, and her sons and husband often would tell you she was "the person in charge."



Throughout her life, Margaret's greatest joy was her family. She not only worked alongside them, but she was also a hands-on grandmother, a loving sister and a caring aunt to many nieces and nephews. She enjoyed sewing and gardening, but she took the most pride in cooking for her family and hosting everyone for weekend and holiday gatherings.



Admired for her lifelong beauty, Margaret remained active for most of her 95 years. Even as aging knees limited her mobility in the last few years of her life, she maintained good humor and always had a kind or encouraging word for her loved ones. She will be greatly missed.



Pallbearers will be Jay Smith, Blake Smith, Kevin Barnette, Jonathan Minchin, Stevie Phillips, and Ricky Melendez.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Seek His Kingdom Ministry, Inc., 15128 Sunset Drive, Northport, AL, 35475.