Johnnie Mae Lindsey Smith, 79, of Phenix City, AL passed on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Birmingham, AL.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at New Central Baptist Church, Phenix City, AL with Rev. Jeffrey J. Dancy, Sr. Pastor and Rev. Gene Lindsey, Eulogist. Burial in West End Cemetery, Phenix City, AL. Public visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, March 20, 2026.

Johnnie Mae was born on November 26, 1946, in Russell County to the late John Arthur Lindsey and the late Elma Lou Lindsey.

She confessed Christ at an early age at Enterprise Missionary Baptist Church in Phenix City, Alabama. She was a faithful member until the church disbanded.

She was apart of the first graduating class in the new building of South Girard High School in 1964. She furthered her education at the Homer D. Cobb Memorial Hospital School of Practical Nursing. She was an LPN nurse for over 38 years.

She was employed at Cobb Memorial Hospital, Phenix City, Alabama, until it closed. She retired from the Medical Center, Columbus, Georgia. She was also employed at Parkwood Nursing Home, Phenix City, Alabama, for ten years. She was very dedicated to the care she provided to her patients. You could tell she loved her job by the compassion, patience, and resilience she showed every day.

Her compassion went beyond her day-to-day tasks by how she comforted patients and families, showing kindness to her co-workers and being that sense of light shining in a career where pain, sickness, and death are experienced daily.

Johnnie Mae truly was the matriarch of the family. Everyone always gathered at her house for good times and good food. She loved being around family and friends. You may have entered her home as a guest, but you left as a family member. Johnnie Mae enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After she retired, she would make sure that once they got off the school bus, they had snacks to enjoy. Her favorite things to do were puzzles, using her iPad to FaceTime with her grandchildren, watching Family Feud, and going to yard sales on Saturdays. All you had to do was call her, and she would be there. Whenever she saw there was a need, she would take care of it. She was very supportive of her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Victor Smith, Jr.; a son, Kenneth James Smith; two brothers, Willie Parker and Joseph Lindsey; three sisters, Betty Pearson, Henrietta Dixon, and Sharon Lindsey; and one sister-in-law, Naomi Johnson.

Johnnie Mae leaves behind those who will forever cherish her memories: three sons, James Victor Smith, III (Tammie), Ronald Alvin Smith, and Marcus Antonio Smith, all of Phenix City, Alabama; two daughters, Cheryl Denise Smith of Phenix City, Alabama, and Alecia Sharnell Smith of Birmingham, Alabama; seven grandchildren, Damien Terrance Smith of Phenix City, Alabama, Ebony Sharnell Smith of Hampton, Georgia, Kenneth James Smith of Columbus, Georgia, Amber Shantese Smith of Jonesboro, Georgia, Kiera Ceymone Smith, Jakya Armonie Smith of Phenix City, Alabama, and Aniyah Jabria Gamble of Birmingham, Alabama; eight great-grandchildren, Blake Terrance Smith, Tailyn Morgan Deloney, Cameron Jacobi Moore, Christian Rashaad Moore, Chloe Naomi Sims, Carson Savoy Sims, Caleb Kentrell Moore, and Elijah Lethan Lindsey, all of Phenix City, Alabama; one sister, Lillie Mae Payne of Atlanta, Georgia; four brothers, James Lindsey of Louisville, Kentucky, John Lindsey (Deborah) of Atlanta, Georgia, Rev. Gene Lindsey (Evonne) of Phenix City, Alabama, and David Lindsey (Cassandra) of Columbus, Georgia; two sisters-in-law, Margie Jones of Atlanta, Georgia, and Denna Smith of Columbus, Georgia; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.