Linda Pauline Farris Smith Boyd Averett, born Feb 8, 1940, went Home to be with the Lord
on January 22, 2024, after a courageous three-year battle against breast cancer.
Sweet Linda was the co-founder of Aveco of Pooler Insurance, a family business which she has
owned and operated since the early 1990's.  She was so proud of her many loyal
customers and wonderful employees, through the years, and her desire was that the
business will continue to serve successfully after her passing.
Being raised in Pooler Ga, she was known, loved, and respected both as a precious friend
and a trusted business owner in our community. She would be considered part of the "old
guard" generation that made Pooler a great hometown and place to raise a family.
Linda was a good "horse trader" (a passion passed down from her father, Rev Bill Farris}
and found great pleasure in buying and selling used cars, auctions, mobile homes, and real
estate all the way up into her 80's!  She was approachable, endearing, and fair in her
dealings, which kept her with a good reputation.
Many will remember that "Little Liz" loved being dressed pretty with full makeup, nails and
hair, and jewelry at ALL times! She had the ability to look fabulous on a dime, and was
often approached by people asking, "Excuse me ma'am, but are you, Liz Taylor?" To which,
she'd smile and in her sweet sing-song voice reply, "Noooo...I just look like her, and I
haven't had quite as many husbands."
She was a wonderful cook and thoroughly enjoyed cooking and eating good food, and
seeing others enjoy it. She also loved fishing and crabbing. And true to her entrepreneurial
spirit, she opened Southside Seafood Market in the mid-1980's, which she operated for
only two years, then sold for a profit. She found out super quick that it was a whole lot
more fun to catch, cook and eat seafood than it was to buy and sell it! (and wayyy less
smelly!)
Her greatest joy on earth were her children, Kathy, Gid (and daughter-in-love, Vickie), and
her grandchildren, Tripper and Will. She did her best (even into their adult ages!) to keep a
steady hand of training, giving, helping, cooking, and using her cute sense of humor, to
show her love.
Since moving from Pooler to Bloomingdale in 2012, she has attended Lifespring Worship
Center. She always said it was the only church where she ever learned anything.
Nicknames: Linnie, LuLu, Mizz Liz, Little Liz, Liz Taylor, LingLing, and her most favorite of
all... "Nana".

Cancer may have won "a" battle, but the Cross of Jesus has already won "THE" war. As a
woman of Faith, she is now "Home", in the fulness of His presence and reunited with her
beloved son, Gideon and so many other family members.

Linda is preceded in death by her son, Thomas Gideon Smith, Jr; parents, Frances and

Curtis Parmer and Reverend Bill and Sandy Farris; and her 38-year companion, Raymond Telfor.


She is survived by her daughter, Kathy McIntosh of Thunderbolt; daughter-in-law, Vickie
Smith of Pooler; grandchildren, Thomas Gideon Smith, 111 (Tripper), and William Franklin
Smith (Will); her sisters, Ann Parker (Billy-deceased) of Cumming Ga, Lana Harvey (Leroy-
deceased) of Wilmington Island, Ga, Julie and Willie Mobley of Ocilla Ga, Janie and Jimmy
Grubbs of Fitzgerald, Ga, Robin Ligon of Flowery Branch, Ga, and Cindy Tyson of Fitzgerald,
Ga; a number of precious nieces and nephews, her longtime dearest friend, Jane Graham,
and her faithful friend and loyal Aveco employee, Virginia Gattis.

Donations may be sent to Lifespring Worship Center, Bloomingdale Ga.

The visitation will be on Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home.  The Homegoing service to honor Linda's life will follow at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel of the funeral home with Pastor Julie Stanley-Mack presiding.
Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, with Pastor Christie Birchfield presiding.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Homes - WEST CHATHAM CHAPEL - 901 West Highway 80 - Pooler, Georgia (912) 7448-2444