Flo Criss Smith

Flo Criss Smith, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on March 8th, 2019, surrounded by her family.

Flo was born July 7, 1948 in San Francisco, California and raised in Atlanta where she graduated from the Lovett School in 1966. Flo then attended Vanderbilt University, graduating in 1970.  She and J.D. married in March of 1976, after which she moved to Gainesville and became very active in the local community. In addition to volunteering with the Junior League of Gainesville and her service with the First United Methodist Church, Flo’s commitment to helping others extended into her tutoring at Brenau University and coordinating adult education programs at the Gainesville Adult Learning Center and Lanier Technical College. 

For Flo, her life’s work was her family.  She dedicated all her powerful intelligence, immense talents, and unceasing efforts to raising her children and providing the best possible home for them and her husband.  She sought no recognition or adulation from others.  She was content with finding her reward in the lives of her family members. All of them have long known that anything they achieved was possible only because of her. 

Before her illness, Flo loved to play tennis, competing in doubles with her friends, and she found special enjoyment participating in several book and bridge clubs. In her later years, she and J.D. fulfilled their long-held dream of traveling regularly throughout Europe. She is dearly missed.

Flo is preceded in death by her father, John William Criss, and mother, Flo Pritchett Criss. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, J.D. Smith of Gainesville, her son, Brian Randolph Smith and soon-to-be daughter-in-law Jennifer Lauren Dunaway of Atlanta, her daughter, Joanna Smith Nijem and son-in-law William Charles Nijem, Jr. of Valdosta, and her grandchildren, Olivia Grace Nijem and William Charles Nijem, III.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, March 16th at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Gainesville. The Rev. Scott Hearn will officiate.  The family will receive friends after the service at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association or Gainesville First United Methodist Church.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.