Keiko "Kay" Smith

Keiko “Kay” Smith was surrounded by her family as she passed from this earth on Monday, October 11, 2021 in Perry.

Keiko was strong, stubborn, straight-forward, and believed in the old school ways. At the same time, she was loving, hardworking, silly, and always wanted the best for those she loved.

As an immigrant to the United States in the early 1970s, it was important to her to become a U.S. citizen. She studied really hard and became a U.S. citizen in 2001.

She loved to travel and was always interested in learning someone’s culture. She loved to share her Okinawan traditions and customs with everyone. She loved her home island.

She showed her family and friends her love through her cooking and entertaining. Anyone who knew her knew how much she enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes. She liked teaching her kids her family recipes in hopes that they would be passed on for many generations.

Born in Okinawa, Japan on January 17, 1949, Keiko was the daughter of the late Chiyoko Gima. She spent many years in Marietta as a food service worker for the city schools.

Left to cherish her memory include her husband of 16 years, Michael Smith; children, Lisa Armijo (Joey) of California, Sandra Johnson (Derick) of Mississippi, and Janis Scott of Georgia; grandchildren, Joseph “JoJo” Sanchez, Jr., Jasmine Rakestraw, Alena Headin, and Izabella “Izzy” Stewart; and her sibling, Sachiko Oshiro (Kanye).

A memorial service to celebrate Keiko’s life will be at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at Andersonville National Cemetery.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.