Shirley Hamill Smith

On Thursday, March 2, 2023, Shirley Hamill Smith, age 95, passed from this earthly life. A celebration of her life will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at First Methodist Church in Louisville, MS with the Rev. Mike Childs officiating. Visitation will also be held on Saturday, March 11 at First Methodist Church from 9:30 AM until the service. A graveside service will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Louisville. Porter Funeral Home has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements. Shirley was born October 09, 1927 in Mobile, AL to Earnest and Cassy Phifer. After graduating from high school, she attended Huntington College in Montgomery, AL. and received a Bachelor of Art degree in 1949. She met and married Howard F. Hamill and settled in Louisville. After Howard’s untimely death in 1971, she worked for many years as secretary for First Methodist church and Mississippi State University Security Dept., while raising her 2 sons, Britt and Mark. She later married James T Smith (JT) and they were happily married for 20 years until his passing in 2013. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Earnest and Cassie Phifer; her husband Howard F Hamill; her son Mark H Hamill; her husband James T Smith and sister-in-law Mary H Mitchell. She is survived by her son Britt Hamill of Louisville, MS; daughter Cindy (Bill) Reed of Jackson, MS; grandchildren Ashley (Leo) Hamill of Tallahassee, FL; Adam Hamill of Orlando, FL; Brad Hamill of Santa Rosa Beach, FL; Lynn (Randy) Messer of Honolulu, HI; Taylor (Chad) Sawyer of Whitehouse, TN; Paige (Steven) Yarbrough of Louisville, MS; Doug (Allison) Smith of Madison, MS; Erin (Kevin) LaMair of Phoenix AZ; Jess (Margaret) Reed of Nashville, TN; 6 great grandchildren; and cousin Taylor Noble of Mobile, AL. The family would like to express special thanks to her close friend Janet Gerard for her many years of assistance and the staffs at the Bee Hive in Louisville and Philadelphia. Known by Nana to some and Peachie to others, Shirley was a devoted mother and grandmother. She had a great sense of humor and was a true joy to all. She will be greatly missed. Memorials may be made to First Methodist Church, P. O. Box 523, Louisville, MS, 39339.