Janis Olene Smith

Janis Olene (Stinton) Smith, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and devoted wife, passed away peacefully at her home in Zephyrhills, Florida, on September 29, 2026, at the age of 84, just four days shy of her 85th birthday. A Graveside Service will be held at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens, 7070 Houston Rd., Macon, GA 31216, on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 2:00 pm. with visitation following. Pastor Daryl Robinson will officiate. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Locust Grove Public Library.

Janis was born on October 3, 1941, in Vienna, Georgia, where she was raised on a farm. After marrying the love of her life, Frank Smith, they eventually settled in the suburbs of Atlanta, where they built their life and raised their family together.

Janis loved being outdoors and could often be found working in the yard or tending to her garden. She also loved to cook, and there was something special about sitting around Janis’s dining room table. No one who was blessed to share a meal with her, especially during the holidays, ever left disappointed.

Janis was also incredibly talented with a crochet hook. Her handmade blankets were so beautifully crafted that she even won awards for her work. But for Janis, crocheting was about much more than creating something beautiful, it was a way of showing her love. She made sure every member of the family had their very own Christmas stocking, complete with their name stitched into it. And, of course, each of her grandchildren had to have a special blanket crocheted just for them. These treasured pieces of her handiwork will continue to wrap her family in her love for generations to come.

She was a devoted Georgia Bulldogs fan. When the Bulldogs played, Janis was watching, and the family knew that game time was important. She always had her popcorn and Diet Coke ready, and those games became part of the memories and traditions shared with the people she loved.

Janis loved to dress up and had a beautiful sense of style. She was a beautiful woman with expensive taste who appreciated the finer things in life. She knew what she liked and had a way of making sure she looked good doing it.

But perhaps her greatest love was her family. She gave them a lifetime of memories gathered around her table, enjoying a home-cooked meal, celebrating holidays, watching football, tending to her garden, and simply being together. Those everyday moments are the memories her family will treasure most.

Janis was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Frank Smith; her eldest daughter, Debbie Byrd; and her younger brother, Henry Clay Collins.

She is survived by her elder sister, Shirley Carden; her son, Phillip Smith; her youngest daughter, Michele (Robinson) Smith; grandchildren Robby Byrd, Katie Byrd, Garrett Smith, Kaleb Smith, Kalli (Smith) Chancey, Joshua Robinson, and Amber Robinson; and many great-grandchildren.

Janis will be laid to rest at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens beside her beloved husband, Frank. Services for Janis are being handled by Snow's Funeral Home.

Her family will remember Janis for the love she poured into them, the meals she lovingly prepared, the garden she tended, the beautiful things she created with her own hands, the Bulldogs games she never missed, and the holidays that always seemed a little more special because she was there.

She may have been raised on a farm, but she was never quite a “farm girl.” She was simply Janis- beautiful, particular, loving, strong-willed, stylish, talented, and unforgettable.

Her hands created beautiful things, her table brought people together, and her love became part of the traditions her family will carry forward.

She will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered.

Snow's Memorial Chapel at Macon Memorial Park has charge of arrangements.