Funeral services for Gena Kathryn Smart, 90, of Ridgecrest, Louisiana, were held at Clayton Baptist Church (8722 Hwy 566 Clayton, LA 71326) on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, at 1 p.m. with Pastor Emile Bordelon officiating. Interment followed at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Natchez, Mississippi, under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home.

Gena Kathryn Smart was born on Sunday, Dec. 22, 1929, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and passed away Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Alexandria, Louisiana. She attended West Lincoln School in Brookhaven and Draughn Business College in Jackson. She grew up at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Brookhaven where she was baptized in 1943. She was very active in music for all her churches she attended. She was one of the first workers at International Paper Co. in Natchez as a secretary. She retired from Adams County Welfare Department after 15 years. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be missed by everyone who knew her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Geems and Arcola Smith; for sisters, Velma Britt, Martell Byrd, Maude Smith and Parlee Smith; brother, Hugh V. Smith; granddaughter, Jennifer Jean Smith; and former husband, Charles W. Nelson. She leaves behind her husband, Billy R. Smart; son, Mitchell Nelson and wife, Sarah; five daughters, Alana Nelson, Suzane Robertson, Debbie Gordon and husband, Phil, Melanie Richardson and and Gena Garrity; two stepdaughters, Becky Bennett and husband, Lawrence, and Gail Faust and husband, Rex; three sisters, Laverne Lee, Evelyn Smith and Johnnie Jackson; eight grandchildren; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Pallbearers were Phil Gordon, George Bourke, Robert Newman, Daniel Bordelon, Lawrence Bennett and Alaric Snow.

The family received friends at Young’s Funeral Home in Ferriday, Louisiana, on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, from 5 until 8 p.m. To leave an online condolence for the family please visit www.youngsfh.com.