Willa Smith

Willa Smith
Oct. 23, 1927 – Dec. 6, 2022
Willa Smith died at Diversicare Nursing Home in Tylertown Dec. 6, 2022. She was born Oct. 23, 1927, in Walthall County to the late Newell Booker and Bessie Lee Hall Smith.
She was an active member of Silver Creek Baptist Church, where she was baptized as a young girl, and served on the Silver Creek Baptist Church Historical Committee as well as serving on many other committees. She taught Adult Ladies Sunday School for many years. Miss Smith was a graduate of Lexie High School (as class valedictorian), Southwest Junior College, and Mississippi Southern College. She was a teacher and retired in 1980 after 31 years of teaching. Her teaching career not only included Carter’s Creek High School and Belzoni High School located in Mississippi; but also, the following schools in Louisiana: Covington High School, Greenwood High School, and Woodlawn High School. She served as advisor for 21 yearbooks that won several All-American and First Place Awards in national ratings. Miss Smith taught some famous students including Terry Bradshaw, an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox TV football analyst, and Lawrence Gordon, a famous Hollywood producer who produced the movie, Field of Dreams.
She loved watching Fox news and keeping up with current events.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by sisters Ellen Delora Higginbotham, Alla Faye Fike, Alda Flo Smith; and brothers John Neil Smith, Newell Booker Smith, Jr., and Joe Lindy Smith.
Survivors include her sister-in-law, Donis Smith; 13 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were Dec. 11, 2022, at Silver Creek Baptist Church, McComb, burial in Silver Creek Cemetery, Revs. Pat Bourg and Scott Kennedy officiating.
Pallbearers were Joel Higginbotham, Paul Higginbotham, Jay Smith, Wayne Nettles, James Hall, and Keith Brock.
Capps Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. An online guestbook may be signed at www.hartmanhughesfuneralhome.com.