Jordan Funeral Home, Inc



Jordan Funeral Home, Inc.

PO Box 46

Monticello, Georgia 31064

706-468-6303

Fax: 706-468-2205

Email: jordanfh@

Grace M. Smith, age 92, of Monticello, died Sunday, May 17, 2015, at her home in Turtle Cove.

She was born on June 12, 1922, at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, to Minnie L. McDaniel and Joseph C. Weaver. Grace was educated in the Atlanta public school system. She married Donald M. McNew in 1940, in Atlanta, and raised their three children in Atlanta, and then Rockdale County, after moving there in 1964.

During her child-rearing years, Grace was active in church and school activities, especially those events related to food. Her organizational leadership and growing reputation as a cook and manager of larger events set her on the path of a distinguished career in food service that began when the dietician at her daughter’s school fell ill. The principal asked Grace, then PTA president, to take over. She pursued continuing education programs at the University of Georgia, among others, and became food service director at a half dozen elementary and high schools and one college before settling for over a decade at the Lovett School from which she retired in 1989.

In 1973, Grace married Joseph W. Smith. In that year, she also became President of the Georgia School Food Service Association, a position that encouraged her to pursue her growing advocacy for expanding school food programs as a means of improving nutrition among school children. She worked on a national level with politicians including Jimmy Carter and Hubert Humphrey to advance her cause. She also was increasingly recognized as an ardent developer of her staff, training them to become managers themselves.

Grace and Joe lived in various locations in the Atlanta metro area before moving to Jackson Lake when she retired. There, greater leisure allowed Grace to fully indulge her lifelong gift for making and cultivation rich friendships. She became the unofficial Turtle Cove birthday cake-maker, allowing each celebrant to choose among her delicious specialties. She readily shared her recipes, including publishing many in local newspapers and community cookbooks. Most of all, she listened with care to every friend and learned their struggles and their joys. Joe gave Grace a license plate that read “Amazin”. She was both amazing and widely beloved.

Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph W. Smith; father of her children, Donald M. McNew; and daughter-in-law, Dianna G. McNew.

Grace is survived by her three children and son-in-law, Donald W. McNew of Monroe, Marsha J. and Grady Fletcher of Monticello, and Janet M. McNew of Tampa, Florida; five grandchildren and their spouses, Matthew and Michelle Fletcher, Joseph and Jennifer McNew, Julie and Shane Turner, Christopher and Laura Fletcher, and David McNew; and eleven great grandchildren, Anna Grace Fletcher, Brooks Fletcher, Margaret “Maggie” Fletcher, Olivia Fletcher, Lily Fletcher, Camille Fletcher, Audrey McNew, Aaron McNew, Megan Turner, Mason Turner, and Jackson McNew.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, May 21, 2015, at the Chapel of Jordan Funeral Home. Chaplain Jim Ross will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M., prior to the service at Jordan Funeral Home.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers donations be made to Abbey Hospice 215 Azalea Court, Social Circle, Georgia 30025; or .

Jordan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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