Funeral services for Miriam Nell Provost Smith, of Brookhaven, will be Monday, April 3, 2017, at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Brookhaven with burial in Riverwood Cemetery in Brookhaven. Dr. Tom Atkins will officiate the service. Brookhaven Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be today, April 2, 2017, from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home, and also Monday, April 3, 2017, from 9 a.m. until the time of the service at the church.

Mrs. Smith, 88, died Friday, March 31, 2017, at Silver Cross Nursing Home in Brookhaven. She was born June 22, 1928, in Poplarville, to Leo Joyner and Annie Lou Moon Provost.

Mrs. Smith grew up in the Poplarville community where she attended Pearl River Community College. She later graduated from Millsaps College with a degree in education. While at Pearl River Community College, she was a cheerleader, a member of the traveling choir, and a member of the ROTC. In the ROTC during war time, she inspected the pants and the shoes of the men in the morning line up.

She married Dr. Fred W. Smith Jr. and moved to Brookhaven in 1948. Miriam was instrumental in founding the Junior Auxiliary in Brookhaven. She taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church, and taught sixth grade in the Brookhaven Public School System for several years. She also helped with the Dixie Youth Baseball concessions and the press box. She was a member of the King’s Daughters Hospital Auxiliary, the Climbers Club and Krewe of Ceres.

Mrs. Smith was an avid bridge player and enjoyed her Wednesday afternoon bridge club. She also enjoyed playing Rummikub. She and her husband enjoyed traveling with the “Chigger Diggers” and the “Cruising Cajuns.” She and her husband also loved to dance. She was a member of First United Methodist Church. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Leo Joyner and Annie Lou Moon Provost; husband of 57 years, Dr. Fred W. Smith Jr.; brother, William M. Provost; and sister, Mary Eleanor Provost.

Survivors are her sons, Fred W. Smith III and wife Karron, Mark Provost Smith and wife Susan, and Russell Blake Smith and wife Roxana; grandchildren, William Bradley Smith and wife Mary Beth, Elizabeth Smith Allen and husband Bo, Chad Phillip Smith and wife Anna, Craig Thomas Smith, Blake Smith and Christopher Smith; 10 great-grandchildren; niece, Ellen Torrence; nephew, Brad Provost; and a host of family and friends.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Ray Montalvo, the staff of Silver Cross Nursing Home, the staff of Hospice Compassus, caregiver Mary Graham and members of First United Methodist Church of Brookhaven.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mrs. Smith’s name may be made to First United Methodist Church of Brookhaven or the Brookhaven Junior Auxiliary.

To share condolences please visit www.brookhavenfuneralhome.net.