Mrs. Josephine Bosserman Smoot, age 89, of Atlanta, formerly of Covington, died peacefully on Saturday, February 19, 2011, at Emory University Hospital.

Jo, as she was affectionately known, was born October 2, 1921 in Covington to W. Ernest and Minnie L. Bosserman.

She graduated from Covington High School in 1939. After graduating, she became an accomplished floral designer for Evan's Florist in Covington for fifteen years. She once made a special arrangement for the President of the United States. She also worked for Ritter Finance in Covington and Atlanta.

She married Robert Horton Smoot on October 14, 1950. Shortly after relocating to Atlanta in 1970, she began working in admissions at the Emory Clinic until retiring in 1986. A sixty-two year member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, she was Past State President of the Virginia Business Women's Association. She was a faithful member of Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church as well as the United Methodist Women.

She was preceded in death by her parents, W. Ernest and Minnie L. Bosserman and brothers, William Ernest Bosserman, Jr. and Clarence Lynn Bosserman.

Jo is survived by her loving husband of sixty-one years, Robert "Bob" Smoot; one niece, Connie Bosserman Hicks of Abingdon; two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Burns Bosserman and Mary Stinnett Bosserman.

A graveside funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 25, 2011, at Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Barry Throckmorton officiating.

Those wishing to attend the service should assemble at Loving Funeral Home by 10:15 a.m.

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