Phyllis Rebecca Smith

Phyllis Rebecca Smith, 83, of Manila, passed from this life Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born in Manila, she was the daughter of the late Dewey and Anna Mae Rice Jackson. She lived her early years on Rice Point at Big Lake. She moved to West Virginia, then to Henderson, Ark., and finally returned to Manila her senior year, where she was a 1959 graduate of Manila High School. After graduation, she married George Richard Smith, and they moved to various places in Missouri before returning to Manila in 1974 and buying a farm at Milligan Ridge. Phyllis was a homemaker and a farmer’s wife. She was a member of Milligan Ridge Baptist Church, and she loved shopping, crossword puzzles, and watching television. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Wiley, and three brothers-in-law, Joe Smith, Clifford Wiley and Ronnie McFadden.

Survivors include three daughters, Annie Barker (Billy) of Milligan Ridge, Jeanie Hitt (Blaine) of Milligan Ridge and Robby Smith (Irving) of Manila; two brothers, Michael Jackson (Wanda) and Robert Jackson (Brenda), both of West Plains, Mo.; one sister, Judith McFadden of Bartlett, Tenn.; five grandchildren, Billy J. Barker (Julie), Raun Barker, Darren Hitt (Ashley Vunderink), Heath Hitt, Ryleigh Smith (Kayden Horton); three great-grandchildren, Hudson Barker, Jackson Barker and Hollyn Barker. Phyllis also leaves a host of special nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila with Brother Mike Colvin officiating, assisted by Billy J. Barker. Burial will follow in the Manila Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Billy J. Barker, Raun Barker, Darren Hitt, Heath Hitt, Ryleigh Smith and Kayden Horton. The family will receive visitors from 12 p.m. until service time at the funeral home. Friends may sign the online guest register at www.HowardFuneralService.com.