Obituaries

Chris Smartt

Photo of Chris Smartt
Mrs. Chris Sudduth Johns Smartt, of Little Rock, left her earthly home and went to be with the Lord on Saturday, May 26. Born February 17, 1922 to Carrie Dea Brady Sudduth and Wilbert Bryant Sudduth of Prentiss, Mississippi, Chris moved to Little Rock as a child and attended Kramer, East Side, Little Rock High, and Little Rock Vocational Business School. She was a member of Little Rock's First Baptist Church. Chris married her childhood friend and sweetheart, George Edward Johns, in 1942. As children, they both lived near City Park (now McArthur Park) and spent many happy hours there playing with friends, attending concerts, and playing tennis as teenagers. Within two years after their marriage, George was killed on Bougainville, Solomon Islands (in the South Pacific), leaving Chris and a 10 month old son. During World War II she worked in the Testing Department at the Ford, Bacon, and Davis Ammunitions Plant in Jacksonville. After 14 years as a widow, Chris married Alfred Berry Smartt, Jr. of Bentonville. They had a very happy life and lots of friends. Both loved to play bridge and were members of many bridge clubs over the years. Chris was a real people person and loved to entertain and decorate for holidays. They enjoyed going to Razorback games, as well. Mr. Smartt died in 2003. Chris' first and last job was with the State of Arkansas. She was a member of Beta Sigma, LR Women's City Club, La Moderne, and Gold Star Wives, serving as its president twice. Survivors include one son, Richard "Rick" Bryant Johns, Hot Springs Village; step-daughter, Linda Smartt Bass (Hal), Bentonville; niece, Semmie Lanier Kearney Crawford (Harold), Greenville, Miss; grandchildren, Rylan Retzloff (Loretta), Mayflower; Dyland Retzloff (Jay Jay), Conway; Lela Retzloff Hawks (Michael), Ola; great-grandchildren, Bradley, McKenzie, and Colton; special cousins Betty Willis Simpson (Sonny) and Stacey Robinson. The family would like to express their gratitude for the wonderful care given Chris at Baptist Medical Center by Drs. Stern, Vickers, and May; UAMS (Dr. Caradine, Melissa Cleary, and Margaret Jones; staff of Emeritus at Pleasant Hills Retirement Center for the love and care she received from the employees who became like family; and Arkansas Hospice (Dr. Santa Cruz, John Gunnell, Vicki Parks, Terri Lynn Gaines, Sherrie Watson, Dena Bradshaw, Cindy Rollins, Deborah Wright, Brad Vaden, Sharon Hines, and Rita Uzuh). Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 31st in the chapel of Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 W. 12th St., Little Rock (501) 661-9111 with Hospice chaplain, Rev. Brad Vaden officiating. Interment will follow in Little Rock National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkansas Hospice, 14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, Ark. 72116 or a favorite charity. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.

Published May 31, 2012

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