Jacqueline Smith Barbare
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Jacqueline S. Barbare
February 28, 1931 - February 5, 2021
ALPHARETTA, GA? Jacqueline "Jackie" Smith Barbare, 89, of Alpharetta, Georgia passed away Friday, February 5, 2021.
Jackie was born February 28, 1931 in Columbus, GA, daughter of the late George Madison Smith and Mary Elizabeth Hutchinson. One of nine children, she was active in school and church, singing in a gospel quartet with her sister Betty Powell, among other activities. After graduating from Columbus High School, she married William P Pierson and had a son, Bill.
She joined the Southern Bell Telephone Company as an operator and quickly advanced to a variety of management positions over her 33-year career. She broke new ground at Southern Bell becoming one of the first women to lead the adoption of new technology and processes in the company. She was the recipient of many management and professional awards. Jackie was highly active in the Telephone Pioneers of America volunteer organization leading many initiatives in the Southeast.
She married Dennis N Barbare, Sr. in August 1974, with his children, Laney, Terri and Dennis Jr. becoming part of the family. Their life together took them to live in Macon, Georgia and Orlando, Florida before retiring to Greenville, South Carolina in 1993.
In Greenville, Jackie became involved in the Newcomers Club and made many friends in the community which led her to join the Clarice Wilson Garden Club. She was an avid gardener and was always tending to her plants and flowers, her garden recognized locally as one of the finest. She served as Club President from 2003-2005 and led several projects, namely, The Clarice Wilson Butterfly Garden and The Carolina Fence Education Garden. She was the Club's Woman of the Year in 2009!
As her friends and family will say, Jackie was the bright light in any gathering. She was always positive, encouraging and out-going, loving friends and family alike. She loved entertaining, hosting card games (which she seemed to always win more than her fair share) and enjoying time with her many friends. It seemed that wherever she went, there was always someone there that she knew.
Survivors include husband Dennis N. Barbare Sr. of Alpharetta, Georgia; sister Betty Powell of Parma Heights, Ohio; son William P Pierson Jr. and his wife, Cindy, of Alpharetta, Georgia; stepchildren Elaine "Laney" Huff and her husband, Derrell, of Kennesaw, Georgia, Terri Cail of Greenville, South Carolina and Dennis Barbare Jr. of Elizabethton,Tennessee. She was blessed by five grandchildren, a great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
After a private family service, the family will hold a life celebration in the late Spring for friends and extended family.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the civic organizations that were close to her heart: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs for the "Grounds Funds" or "Raise The Roof" projects (https://kilgore-lewis.org/donate/), or the Pioneers volunteer organization (https://www.pioneersvolunteer.org/donate/).
Sign the online guest registry at Obituaries SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. https://www.southcare.us/obituaries.