Services for Janie Pearl Smith, of Meridian, are at 11 a.m.Saturday, Jan. 9 at Riverwood Family Funeral Service Chapel inBrookhaven with burial to follow at Friendship Baptist Church inBrookhaven.

Miss Smith, 84, died Jan. 6, 2010, at Rush Memorial Hospital inMeridian.

She was born in Lincoln County on April 5, 1925, to RobertEugene Smith and Katie Lou Calcote Smith.

She was a graduate of West Lincoln Attendance Center inBrookhaven and went on to graduate from Mississippi StateUniversity as the first female to graduate with a degree inlaboratory technology.

She served as director of laboratory services at Rush MemorialHospital in Meridian for 30 years. Upon retirement, the lab wasnamed in her honor – Janie Pearl Smith Lab of Rush MemorialHospital.

She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Eugene SmithSr. and Katie Lou Calcote Smith.

She is survived by two sisters, Dorothy Allene Smith Hunsuckerand Katie Ruth Smith Alford and husband, Hollis Alford; and onebrother, Robert Eugene Smith Jr. and wife, Elaine Smith; and a hostof nieces, nephews, family and friends.

She is also survived by Mary Kate Everett, a very special,beloved and lifelong friend.

To express your thoughts to the family, you may visitriverwoodfamily.com and click on their name to leave a comment.