Joy Elizabeth Powell Smith

Joy Elizabeth Powell Smith passed away on August 9, 2015. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee on January 16, 1930, to Dr. Louise Ewing Beecher Powell, a pediatrician and descendant of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Her father was Mr. Ernest Allen Powell, owner of the Powell Cooperidge Company of Memphis. Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Dr. William Radford Smith; a daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Smith Bray and her husband Dr. William Robert Bray; two sons, Mr. James Radford Smith and his wife Tracy; and Mr. John Powell Smith. Her sister, Mary Louise Beecher Powell Korndorffer, lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Joy also leaves three grandchildren: Margaux Elizabeth Bray Glancy (Christopher), Sierra Joy Smith, and Robert Beecher Bray (Alexandra Fontova), as well as one step grandson, Robby Sykes and step granddaughter Mallory Olivier Barnes and husband David. Her three great-grandchildren are Henry Beckett Glancy, Hampton Bayliss Glancy, and Anne Frances Elizabeth Glancy. She is also survived by her nieces, Heather Marshall and Holly Marshall, as well as nephew George Marshall V (Kirsten). Services will be held 5 p.m. Wednesday August 12, 2015 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Murfreesboro. The Rev James K Polk Van Zandt and Rev Colin Ambrose will officiate. Visitation will follow the service in the Parish Hall. Ms. Smith graduated from St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis and attended Rhodes College (Southwestern at Memphis), where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Fine Arts from MTSU. Ms. Smith was an accomplished sculptor and papermaker who has pieces in the permanent collections at the University of Pennsylvania and Cheekwood Botanic Gardens in Nashville. She was also known for her expertise in Japanese kite making and created a large limestone Japanese lantern that was featured at the Japan Center at MTSU for many years. She taught private art lessons to the children of Murfreesboro in her studio during the 1980s and 1990s and was an ardent advocate for equal rights during the civil rights movement. She also worked to advance the educational opportunities for learning disabled children during the 1960s and 1970s. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Paul's Episcopal church in Murfreesboro and to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tenn., c/o the Joy Powell Smith Student Scholarship Fund. The address for Arrowmont is 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tenn., 37738. Online condolences may be made at www.woodfinchapel.com.