Anna Thompson Smith Jones

Anna Thompson-Smith Jones, born on April 19, 1936 in Courtland, Alabama to Ethel Shivers Thompson and Homer Thompson. She grew up in Albertville Alabama. She moved to Tullahoma , Tennessee in 1950 where her father’s work brought them.

 Anna married her beloved husband, the father of her sons. They were both 17 years old. Her love for children went back to her early childhood. They were married on September 20, 1953. God blessed them with a baby boy, James Michael on June 23^rd, 1954. Kenneth Wayne was born on May 13, 1955. He lived only one week, and God took him back to Heaven. David Randall was born Dec. 16^th, 1957. In March 31^st, 1961, Timothy Carl joined the family. James and Anna had a wonderful life raising their three boys. They raised their sons in church. They were very active in church. After moving to Mount Pleasant, they were active in ball. James had one team, the first in Mount Pleasant. They spent many hours at the ballfield. James worked for H.G. Hill 29 years. On May 17, 1983, at age 47, he had a massive heart attack and went to be with his Lord. They would have been married 30 years September 20, 2017. In 1974 her love for children lead her to start keeping children. James was very helpful with the children. The first one was Jenny, Kelley, Misty, Kimberly, and many more to follow. The children called him Pop. Mom and said she could not have gotten them this time without the children. They gave her a reason to get up in the morning.

 Her family and her church family took good care of her, but most of all, her Lord was always with her. The children called her Mama. She did not want the mothers to think she was teaching them to call her mama, so she became Mama Ann. She never saw a child that she could not love.

After Pop’s death, she continued to care for many more babies. It didn’t matter how old they were, they were her babies. In her years of keeping children, at least 75, Mama Ann said it was an honor to be called Mama Ann. Most parents of other people also called her mama Ann. She said she had more kisses and hugs than anybody. In 1985 Mama Ann married James Lee Jones. In 1986, he and a friend opened J&W Glass. He had worked for Evan Glass in Columbia 13 years.
James wanted Ann to work with him, so she retired from keeping children and went to work for her husband, but she was never happy. She missed her babies.

In 1996, Mama Ann’s son, James Michael, had a massive heart attack age 41, February 26, 1996. leaving a little girl to grow up without a daddy. She had to grieve losing another son.

In 1996, her husband retired after 10 years. They were building a church and he wanted to be there all the time. They did all the glass in the church, New Song Baptist Church.

Mama Ann retired in 1997. She knew what she wanted to do. In July 1997, she started keeping a little girl Cammi, and another, and another. She was finally doing what God wanted her to do. It was her gift from God.

She kept six children that she had kept their mom and daddy. People would often ask, “Hey Mama Ann when are you going to stop keeping children?”. Her answer was, “When I am 6 feet under.”

 In 2008, she retired again for health reasons. In 2011, her Lily bug was born. She was the one she had been waiting on. Lily was a joy to her in her golden years. Mama Ann was very active in church. Her favorite, the nursery. She enjoyed writing little songs and poems for her babies. She would rock and sing them to the babies. She enjoyed growing flowers, reading, and spending time with her family. She says when she gets to Heaven, God will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.

Ann is survived by her sons: David Randall Smith (Dena) and Timothy Carl Smith (Kim); grandchildren: Alysha Smith Busby, David Carl Smith (Sherry), Jennifer Hannah (Robby), Jamie Roan ( Rontez); greatgrandchildren: Mikayla Busby, AJ Busby, Macy Smith, Jeremiah Roan, Kora Roan, and Harley Hannah.

Ann is preceded in death by her husbands :James Albert Smith and James Lee Jones; stepgrandchild: Sidrah Roan; 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Williams Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee. A service for Ann will be on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Williams Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee with Peter Sierson officiating. Ann will be laid to rest at Oakwood Cemetery in Tullahoma, Tennessee at 2:00 PM following the service.