Rita Jo Smith, 87, of Owensboro, passed away Friday, June 24, 2022 at Signature Healthcare of Hartford. She was born June 1935 to the late Pearl Nugent and Helen Bates Nugent. Rita was a Christian woman of the Baptist faith. She loved God and was a voracious reader of the Bible. Rita would be seen every morning with her Bible, taking notes and studying. She had read the Bible several times in completion. She later enjoyed Sunday School and Hymns at Signature Healthcare. She loved all animals and her home became the home for all stray animals in her neighborhood. Rita especially loved her grandchildren and spent many hours and days rocking them in her rocking chair. Her grandchildren can all remember as being toddlers, sitting in their Mamaw’s lap as she drove them around her yard. Rita worked at General Electric until she had children and then became a homemaker to take care of all her family.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Robert Smith; a baby sister; an infant son; stepmother, MeryI Nugent; and a granddaughter, Olivia Wainscott McGehee.
Those left to honor and cherish her memory are her children, Steve Smith, Bobby Smith, Jeff Smith (Deanna) and Mike Smith (Charlotte), all of Owensboro, Art Smith (LeAnn) and Teresa Gish (Mark), both of Philpot, and Becky Burge (Neal) of Texas; 14 grandchildren, B.J., Billy, Lindsey, Logan (Destiny), Jansen, Scott (Jensen), Sydney, and Ansley Smith, all of Owensboro, Grant Smith of Ohio County, Rob Park (Sarah) and Renee Boehman (Jon), both of Philpot, and Chris and Ryan Chambers and Scarlett DeMoss, all of Texas; many great-grandchildren; sisters, Glenda Kelly (Joe) and Sandra Swihart (Charles); and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the chapel at James H. Davis Funeral Home & Crematory. Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Sorgho. Visitation is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.
The family would like to thank all the staff at Signature Healthcare of Hartford. They provided Rita with excellent care and a loving second family.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Owensboro Humane Society, 2101 W. 2nd Street, Owensboro, KY 42301.