Jody Abigail Morton Smith was born on Aug. 21, 1957 in Pomona, California to Clyde Miles Morton Jr. and Barbara Houser Morton; the third little girl to join their home. Her father wanted to call her Holly Abigail after a little girl that he thought was just the cutest thing. He had been doing some painting in her parents home and fell in love with her. But our mother insisted that no child of hers born in August was going to be called Holly (she associated it with Christmas) so Jody was chosen instead. She joined sisters Ginny and Judy and her mother often ended up saying, “Ginny, Judy, Jody--whoever you are!” One of the young cousins couldn’t pronounce the G or J sound and called them Sinny, Sudy, and Sody Appledale. On the day that Jody arrived home from the hospital her oldest sister, Ginny, had gotten her first little box camera in the mail. She had paid $1. and a Kix cereal box top. The first picture that Ginny took was of her new baby sister lying on the couch at home; Jody was crying. She still has that picture. Jody’s family moved around rather frequently when she was young so she lived in several places from Southern California to Washington state on the west coast, with a brief time spent in Georgia during her early high school years. When Jody’s niece was born (the daughter of her sister Ginny) she decided to come back to California and attend Monterey Bay Academy, a boarding school, to finish high school so she could be closer to her oldest sister’s family. She spent school vacations and holidays with Ginny’s family and greatly enjoyed playing and baby sitting for her “punky dory”, as she called her niece. When Jody was young she began singing with her mother and sister Judy. They traveled widely, singing mainly in churches. Jody had a beautiful alto voice and enjoyed singing in school choirs, for special occasions and after high school, with a traveling singing group known as Heritage New Creation. Jody had enjoyed her time in school in the south so for college she decided to go to Southern Missionary College (now Southern Adventist University) in Collegedale, Tennessee. While on a singing tour she met her future husband, John Franklin. After a wedding in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, they moved to Littleton, Colorado. Jody always wanted a houseful of children and from this marriage they added two daughter’s to their family--Rachael Marie, and a short 10 mo. later a two and a half month premature Rebecca Jolene. With a later marriage to Cory Crespo and the addition of two sons, Cameron Jeffery and Casey Brian, her house was full! Jody enjoyed being a wife, and a mother to her growing children. She encouraged each of them to find their own special interests and was a proud mother at graduations, weddings and other special occasions. Her marriage to Steve Smith during the last 10 years saw Cameron and Casey become the Smith brothers with their adoption by Steve, three of the children marrying and establishing their own homes, and her first two grandchildren arriving. Casey remains at home (during school vacations or summer break) while he finishes his college education. Jody was able to hold each of her grandson’s before she passed away on Oct. 26, 2010. Jody is survived by several family members--her husband, Steve Smith of Fayetteville, NC; her daughters, Rachael Jackson (husband Shane) of Huntsville, Al. and Rebecca Holloman (husband Patrick) of Raleigh, NC; her sons, Cameron Smith (wife Stacie) and Casey Smith both of Fayetteville, NC; her grandsons Aaron Jackson of Huntsville, Al. and Jeshuah Smith of Fayettville, NC. Also surviving are her sisters, Ginny Frost (husband Alan) of Angwin, Ca. and Judy Ehlert (husband Gary) of Vienna, Va. Other family include a niece and three nephews (along with their families), as well as aunts, uncles and numerous cousins. Jody also counted many dear friends as family. Jody suffered much pain the last several years of her life due to complications from multiple surgeries and cancer. While we will miss her here with us we know she is no longer in pain and we look forward to being reunited with her again when Jesus comes.