Adelaide Jennings Smith, 94, a long-time beloved resident of Wytheville, Virginia, died peacefully on May 21, 2024, surrounded by her immediate family.  Adelaide was the daughter of Barnard Wilkinson Jennings and Mary Preston (Fulton) Jennings. Born February 10, 1930, in Johnson City, Tennessee. Adelaide was a 1947 graduate of Richlands High School.  In the spring of 1951 she earned a bachelor's degree in history and English from the College of William & Mary and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.  She returned to higher education by earning a master's degree in education with a focus on social studies from the University of Virginia in 1958. She met the love of her life, Frisby D. Smith, in Richlands while taking an extension course, which he was teaching. They were married in 1959 and had 57 happy years before he passed away in May of 2017.

Teaching was a major theme of her life.  She taught at Richlands Elementary School from 1951 to 1952, Richlands High School in 1956, and George Wythe High School from 1956 to 1959.  A career move took her to Roanoke in 1959 and another move in 1964 would take her to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin - now with two young boys - where she continued her educational instruction at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  She taught for the Wauwatosa public schools and provided specialty education for at-risk girls.

Adelaide and Frisby retired to Wytheville in 1985.  She was an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, where she served as a council member and participated on the building committee and the altar guild, taking joy in arranging the flowers--many of which she and Frisby grew in their gardens.  She served on the board of directors for the Wythe County Historical Society happily sharing the beautiful history of Wytheville with visitors from around the world.  She also served in leadership positions with the Stuart-Wilderness Road Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and as president of the Wythe Grey Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.  She was deeply proud of her American heritage and Virginia roots.

During their long marriage, Adelaide and Frisby enjoyed traveling.  They visited the Galapagos Islands, China, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. A special trip was a Tour of the Reformation to Germany and Switzerland, led by Pastor Steve Ridenhour. They traveled on the trans-Siberian railway, making several visits to Russia and Eastern Europe, where she studied the education system in the former Soviet Union, including the Baltic States.  Their last trip abroad together was to Scotland, one of the countries of their ancestors.  Later, some of Adelaide's favorite trips were her eight visits to Ireland with her adored sister-in-law, Nancy Lee Jennings.  Adelaide remained friends with their Irish tour guide, David Spillane.

Adelaide will always be remembered as a kind, caring, loving, graceful, and compassionate person. She never met a cat or a horse she didn't love and was an avid reader throughout her life.  She greatly enjoyed watching British television dramas, especially Downton Abbey.  She and Frisby loved their time together in their gardens, harvesting and canning the fruits of their labor and exhibiting their roses and floral arrangements in local flower shows. Friends and family were always welcome at her home.  If cooking would be a bit much, she would always suggest a visit to her favorite dining establishment, the Peking Chinese Restaurant.   Perhaps she was best described as devoted to her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frisby; her brother, Barnard Fulton Jennings, and his wife Nancy Lee Jennings.

She is survived by her two sons, F. D. Tad Smith of Dixon, California (Scientist with Ginkgo Bioworks in West Sacramento) and his wife, Mollie; and Steven J. Smith of San Antonio, Texas (General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort) and his wife, Patricia.  She is also survived by four grandchildren, Lauren Gutić (husband Jack), Alexander, Lindsay, and Preston Smith; a sister, Evelyn J. Taylor; and numerous beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation will be at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, followed by the memorial service at 2 p.m.  Burial service will be at the old St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery attended by family members.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to support Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 405 W. Main Street, Wytheville, VA 24382, or to the Harrison Ruffin Tyler Department of History (fund 0074). Checks should be made payable to William & Mary, C/O Gift Administration, P.O. Box 1693, Harlan, Iowa 51593.

Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville, VA  is overseeing arrangements.