Pete, Jessica, and Jody riding the Milliron Farm trails
Photo by (c) Joy S. MillerUpton from the Smith Family archives
Photo by (c) Joy S. MillerUpton from the Smith Family archives
Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.: June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1938 - May 9, 2021 |
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Milliron Farm and Clinic, Dr. Pete and Jody Smith.
“With every year that passes,
I aspire to be more like my Grandma
in many facets of my life.”
― Grant Smith
The gray of the concrete steps leading up to the church sanctuary blended with the bittersweet mood of yesterday's memorial service. There were new faces and old, somehow we all needed the final opportunity to say goodbye to Jody. This was her memorial service day, her wedding anniversary, and a celebration of her life.
In early 2021, the pandemic kept Jody from attending church, and she dearly missed her church family. As Rev. David McCoy so eloquently relayed yesterday at her memorial service, "Jody was usually the first to church on Sunday." In the early morning of Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9, 2021, Jody quietly passed away.
Organ music swayed in and out of the full pews, reaching the ceiling, through the rafters, onto heaven. I hope Jody heard the beautiful notes and was blessed by prayers as we thanked God for her life. I hope she looked down and saw her family and friends remembering, grieving, celebrating. Together we sang 'Tis the gift to be simple (Simple Gifts), one of Jody's favorite hymns. Then Rev. McCoy talked about the many ways Jody liked to shepherd people, even strangers. Her opinion mattered and she had a lot to say about many things. And we are all the better for it.
In Saturday's The Athens Messenger, second Grandson Grant Smith wrote a Letter to the Editor. It is a profound reflection of the love between grandmother and grandson. Jody, so proud of her grandchildren, would have enjoyed reading and sharing Grant's post:
Connect with Grant: Taking it for Granted Podcast
Connect with Gina...
Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.
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