Mrs. Imogene Yvonne Smith transcended this earthly world on Sunday, June 14 and went home to be with her Lord and Savior. She has been reunited with her loving husband of 49 years, Jonnie and other friends and family. She was born Imogene Yvonne Freeman on January 24, 1922. She was married on July 12, 1943 to Johnnie. They moved to Madison in 1956 and quickly became part of the community. Imogene was a devout Christian and a member of the First Baptist Church of Madison from 1956 through 2006, where she taught Sunday School and was a member of the WMU. She lived a life of service to her church and its members, from providing transportation, cooking meals, witnessing and just being a shoulder to lean on in hard times. Teaching was her passion. As a middle school science teacher, she loved teaching her students to be curious and to question the world around them.
Imogene was also a serious Florida State fan, graduating from FSU with a degree in Elementary Education. She enjoyed attending the FSU games with her husband, Johnnie and her daughter, Helen. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and was Past Worthy Matron of the Madison Chapter, a past member of the Mayo Chapter and a member emeritus of the Perry Chapter. Most recently, she was a resident at Centerpointe Nursing and Rehabilitation in Tallahassee, Florida, where she was well known for her stylish hats and hot pink glasses, which earned her the nickname, “Frenchy.” Imogene is survived by her daughters: Helen Riehl of Orlando, Anna Towles of Perry, Susan Tassinari of Tallahassee and Elaine Green of Lake City; 11 grandchildren; a host of great-grandchildren; and one brother, Samuel Freeman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Visitation will be held at 2 p.m., with funeral services immediately following at 3 p.m., on June 17 at Beggs Funeral Home in Madison. Graveside service will follow at Oakridge Cemetery.