Loretta Daniely Smith

Loretta Daniely Smith was born on July 28, 1941, to Mr. James and Mrs. Esme Lee Daniely. She attended and graduated from Hunt High School where she was crowned Miss Hunt High as a senior. She went on to further her studies graduating from Fort Valley State College, now Fort Valley State University, in 1978. She touched many young lives as a teacher in the Sumter County School system before returning home to Peach County where she taught at Hunt Elementary School for many years until her retirement. She was known for her loving and nurturing spirit which she exhibited throughout her teaching career.

Loretta accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age, and she joined the Usher’s Temple C.M.E. Church. Upon marriage she joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church eventually becoming a member of the Saint Peter A.M.E. Church where she was a very active member serving in various positions including serving on the steward board, the trustee board, and the stewardess board. She also served as a Sunday school teacher and taught vacation Bible school for many years. She was one of two women who worked for years with the Junior Stewards which worked to train and inspire young men to become leaders in the church and the community. In her later years she joined the Shiloh Baptist Church of Fort Valley, GA.

Loretta had a great love for her children and would often open her home to many other children from the neighborhood. She was a great cook and loved bringing the family together for holidays and special events. She was especially proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved spending time with them. She was a great storyteller and would often share stories from her childhood of her grandparents, parents, siblings, and extended family as well as stories about
her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was also an avid lover of crossword puzzles and enjoyed watching football, Matlock, the Neighborhood, and game shows such as Jeopardy in her golden years. However, most of all she was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. She raised up her children in Christ and instilled in them the importance of faith which she modeled before them daily as she could often be found upon her knees in prayer or sitting reading the Bible. She had a loving and generous spirit and would give her last if needed. She sacrificed so much to ensure that those around her would have all that they needed. She was well loved by her family and will be greatly missed.

Loretta was preceded in death by a daughter, Avice Dione Smith and a son, Mark Anthony Smith, Sr. She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Ruby Pearl Daniely and Rose Marie Hunter as well as four brothers, Amos Alexander Daniely, Franklin Roosevelt Daniely, William Cliett Daniely, and James Phillip Daniely.

She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters Audrey (Michael) Diamond of Newnan, GA and Sonja Smith of McDonough, GA; two sons Elijah Smith, Jr. of Fort Valley, GA and Rev. Richard (Valencia) Smith of Augusta, GA.; six granddaughters Christina (Richard) Murray, Lashone Smith, Avice J. Smith, Eliyah Smith, Delandrea Mojica, and Mica (James) Nastasi; three grandsons, Maurice Diamond, Quintin Smith, and Mark Smith, Jr.; four great-granddaughters, Serenity Smith, Trinity Smith, Charli Rose Murray, Jordan (Michael) Turner; six great-grandsons, Bryson Colson, Joshua Mojica, Tyrese Mojica, Anthony Nastasi, Zavier Nastasi, and Ellis Nastasi; two brothers, Bennie L. Daniely of Fort Valley, GA. and Napoleon Daniely (Marcia) of Macon, GA. as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.