Affectionately known as “Nuna” (a nickname earned from a grandchild’s mis-pronunciation of the Italian “Nonna”), she was born in Agrigento, Sicily and moved to Birmingham at age 7 with her father and sister, where she grew up in a poor but hard-working family learning to cook, run a household and exclaim at you in Italian while doing most anything. This was also where her faith and love of Jesus were forged and deepened.
She met Jerry Smith on a blind date while attending Philips High School and, admiring his desire for a large family, they married on May 27, 1960 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Birmingham. They moved almost immediately to Florida where, five years and four daughters later, she was full-time mothering doing things as varied as singing good morning songs and hand-sewing matching outfits for all four girls.
By 1977 her fifth and sixth daughters were born and the family was in Mobile where she lived out the remainder of her years working tirelessly to support her family and putting down roots in the Catholic community. She was employed as a bookkeeper at places as varied as a sporting goods store and a carpet store, and a sales clerk at a department store. Active in CCD, Engaged Encounters and Search Retreats, she and her family are long time members of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
In her later years she cherished the role of grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor and host. It was impossible to turn down her endless supply of food (which always seemed to rival the loaves & fishes story), and equally impossible to leave without eating too much.
The things we will most remember about Nuna are: loving her family with a sacrificial work ethic; a deep and persistent faith that she held in her hand and her heart to the very end; a fighter’s spirit, especially through open heart surgery and recovery; an abundance of food representing an abundance of affection for family and friends alike; Mickey Mouse waffles!
Angie was preceded in death by her father and mother Philip and Rosa Lovoy, and two sisters.
Angie and Jerry were married for 60 years and have six daughters. She leaves to cherish her memories her husband Jerry Smith; daughters, Monica (Joe) Johnson, Renee (Mark) Wallace, Teresa (Tod) York, Michele Ferrantelli, Kitty (Jimmy) Cypert, and Angela Houston; her sister, Rose (Bob) Teague; as well as 15 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cherished family and friends.
A memorial service will be held at a later date but the family will continue to eat and share stories between now and then.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
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