Jody Garrard Smith

JoBeth “Jody” Garrard Smith, of Atlanta, passed away in her home at St. Anne’s Terrace on December 6, 2021. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Henry C. Smith, and is survived by their children, Vicky Halsey (Jim), Laurie Osborne (Steve) and Eric Smith (Kassandra), her grandchildren Audrey Mearhoff (Dan), Chris Harden, Daniel Parks, Ryan Parks, Garrett Smith, and Caitlyn Gendusa (Vince), step-grandchildren Beth (Joe Weisenberger) and Laura Halsey, David (Emily) and Steven Osborne, Alexandria and Townshend Phelps, her great grandchildren Lucas Henry and Theresa Jo Mearhoff and her great step-grandchildren Rose, Jane, and Hayden.

Jody was born on July 11, 1931, in Birmingham, AL to Walter M. Garrard and JoBeth Garrard (Apperson) and grew up in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Jody graduated from Washington Seminary (currently The Westminster School) in 1949, attended Pine Manor Jr. College, and then graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in 1954. She was a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Upon graduation she began a career as a landscape architect that spanned four decades. Jody met the love of her life, Henry Smith, on a blind date in December of 1956. They were married on April 5, 1958. In 1963 they built a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright style home on cliffs overlooking Little Nancy Creek in Vinings, GA, where they raised their three children. Jody was very active with her church, volunteering and singing in the choir at St. Anne’s Episcopal. She was also active in her community with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the Vinings Civic Club, the Atlanta Garden Club, and Cobb County Soil Conservation. Her favorite activities included jogging with Henry, gardening, travel, crafts projects, and deck time with family.

A service celebrating Jody’s life will be at St Anne’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta on January 8, 2022, at 2:00 pm.