Madeline Smith, 69, of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008, at the St. Mary Hospice House in Athens, Georgia.

Madeline was born on March 11th, 1939, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of Pierre and Alice DeClaive. She was a woman of unstoppable accomplishments. At age 17 she earned what was then Girl Scout's highest award - the Curved Bar. Madeline graduated from nursing school and had three children, a son, Michael, and twin daughters Lori and Linda. Later her career gave her the opportunity to become Director of Nurses for several large Louisiana hospitals and met and married James Lee Smith on December 14th, 1972. Jim's employment with the US Air Force gave Madeline and her family the opportunity to travel throughout the world and live in such exotic places as the islands of Crete, Greece, and Okinawa, Japan.

Madeline always found ways to learn about and enjoy the local customs and people. While living in Greece she led tours of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt for military base personnel. In Japan studied Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, becoming one of only a handful of American Ikebana Master Instructors.

After returning to the United States, Madeline opened two flower shops in Ohio and was named Centerville, Ohio's, Small Businessperson of the Year in 1992. Two years later Madeline sold the flower businesses and retired to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas with her husband. Never one to be idle, Madeline helped at the Hot Springs Village animal shelter and later took up bass fishing, becoming the first woman professional angler in the Village. Madeline was the founder of an online Retail Bass Fishing Store, BassGifts.com and Woman's Bass Fishing Website, LadyBassAngler.com.

Madeline was always ready to step up and help her many friends in any way she could and volunteered her time and experience to many organizations: B.A.S.S.; Arkansas Hawg Hunters; Arkansas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation; FLW; Arkansas T.B.F.; Spa City Bass Club; Hot Springs Village Anglers Club; WBT F.O.C.A.S. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.

Surviving are her loving husband, James Smith of Hot Springs Village; son Michael Brennan of Tampa, FL; daughter Lori Manske and her husband, Dan of Athens, GA; daughter Linda Rodgers and her husband, Fred of Marietta, GA; stepdaughter Jill Morgan of Antelope, CA and stepson Larry Brennan of Hayward, CA.

Madeline is the beloved grandmother of Grace and Nicholas Manske, Brad, Cody and Ireland Rodgers, and Tommy Morgan.

A memorial service and celebration of her life will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 25, 2008, at Community of Joy Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the St. Mary's Hospice House, P.O. Box 6588, Athens, GA 30604.

Sorry to hear about Madeline passing on. She sounded like a great lady.