Alma Catherine Smith Anderson departed her amazingly wonderful life on May 2, 2019, surrounded by her loving family,  at the age of 97.

Alma was born on December 19, 1921 in The Glade Community in Oglethorpe County, GA to the late Jack Smith and Ablena Slay Smith. She married the late James Wester Anderson on June 8, 1940. Together with their three daughters, they moved to Savannah, Georgia in 1950. Alma loved to say that they came for one year and stayed a lifetime.

A woman of great faith, Alma joined First Baptist Church of Port Wentworth in 1950 and was the longest term member and truly loved, embraced and enjoyed her church family. Her greatest gift was her love of home and family.  No one was ever better at rocking babies, preparing a meal or frying a chicken. She was a kind and gentle soul that loved cooking for her family almost as much as she enjoyed fishing and going to "The Lake", her favorite place to be. All of her children and grands were blessed to have had the opportunity to fish with their Nannie even though she usually out-fished everyone. She was blessed to be loved by so many people, all of whom have probably heard her say, "I need a perm" and "I want to buy a new car." Even in her final days, Alma never lost her kind nature and never failed to tell each and every person that came near her that she loved them.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by son-in-law Hugh "Hugo" Parker Rahn, brothers, Julian, Cody, Bud and Dink Smith, sisters Aleen Smith Jackson, Doreen Smith Franklin, and Eloise Smith Almond.

She is survived by her three adoring daughters, Vivian Anderson Rahn, Patricia Anderson, Jeanette Anderson Thames and son-in-law James Thames who became a loving son to her. Grandchildren, Jimmy Thames (Joanne), Janet Thames Rahn, Julie Thames Smith (Ty), Shannon Rahn (Kim), Amy Rahn Markowitz (Brian), Tiffany White (Mike), Fourteen Great-grandchildren and six Great-great-grandchildren as well as numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews and many neighborhood children that became so very dear to her.

Our Alma, our Aunt Alma, our Miss Alma, our Nannie, our Ninnie, our Nan, our Mother will be truly missed. We were each so very very blessed to have had her in our lives.

Funeral services, officiated by Chaplain Anslem Springer,  will be private with a Celebration of Life to be scheduled at a later date.

The family extends their heartfelt appreciation to the staff of Oaks of Pooler, Compassus Hospice and the faithful members of First Baptist Church of Port Wentworth, especially James and Marie Tucker and Carolyn Butler,  who provided constant support to both Alma and her family.

As an expression of sympathy, the family requests that you provide an act of kindness to someone in need.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Homes – West Chatham Chapel (912) 748-2444