Linda Ann Smith

Linda Ann Smith, 71, passed away Thursday, July 1, 2021, in St Augustine, Florida. She was born October 1, 1949, in Cohoes, New York, to Albert and Beatrice Acker. Linda was the middle of three sisters.

Linda grew up in Albany, New York, and graduated from Colonie Central High School in 1967 where she met the love of her life, Bruce Joseph Smith, husband of 52 years. Bruce and Linda built a wonderful life together living in New York, Connecticut, Virginia, Ohio, California, Texas, Georgia and Florida with their three children.

Linda was a creative crafter, skilled in the arts of poetry, quilting, embroidery, calligraphy, interior design, landscape architecture, and gardening, earning her the nickname Clever LAS. Pursuing these passions

lead to countless lasting friendships throughout her lifetime. Linda was strong, witty and a faithful and loyal friend. Her welcoming smile, hospitality, humor, faith and continual encouragement of others was a hallmark of her legacy.

She was employed by the engineering firm E.R. Johnson Associates in Reston, VA in the 1980s. In 1987, she co-founded Creative Caravan, a craft-based small business in Bay Village, OH. She was also a teacher’s aide in the Newhall, CA Public School system in the mid-1990s.

Community service was a vital passion in her life, Linda volunteered her artistic, event-planning, and mentorship skills to countless PTAs, churches, women’s and veteran’s groups, children’s clubs and organizations. In 2004, she earned a Master Gardener certification through the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service and was actively involved in promoting that program for 10 years. “Bloom where you are planted” was one of her favorite sayings that she lived by. A natural servant-leader, she was President of the St. Augustine Piecemakers Quilt Guild in 2007-2008. Her quilt designs won perennial awards at QuiltFest competitions from 2007-2014.

Linda is survived by her husband, Bruce J. Smith, of St. Augustine, her three children Jay T. Smith (Susan) of South Riding, VA; Nikki Nelson (Erik) of Grapevine, TX; and Whitney Peterson (Matthew) of Starkville, MS. She has 8 grandchildren: Ryan Smith (Jordan), Katelyn Smith, Neil Smith, Rachel Smith, Emily Smith, Drew Nelson, Evan Nelson and Mason Peterson. She has 1 great-grandchild, Avery Smith. Her sisters are Sheila Dryer (Fred), and Charlene Vice (John), her nieces Sara Ruhlman (Scott), Rebecca Minnerly (Michael), Erin Goodwin (CJ) and nephew Tyler Vice (Caitlin).

A service celebrating Linda’s extraordinary life will be held on Sunday, July 25, at 2pm at The Village Church 4229 Pacetti Rd, St. Augustine, FL 32092. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to the American Cancer Society or the Michael J. Fox foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgmandarin.com for the Smith family.