Rebecca Lockett Jones Smith

Rebecca Lockett was born in Macon, Georgia, on May 11, 1938. She traveled a large part of the world, but she always made her home within 10 miles of where she was born. Wherever Rebecca went she made it home. She was the daughter of Harry Wilson Lockett and Abner Ruth Tolliver Lockett and was raised in their home with her older brother Shaheed. Along with an impressive list of extended family members of both parents helping shape her, family was profound in her foundation and in her life.

Before graduating high school, Rebecca knew a traditional route of work and employment wasn’t the route she would take. She enrolled in Brown’s Barber College in Atlanta, became licensed as a Barber, and began working at Paramount Barber Shop on Broadway.

She married James Felton Jones, raising sons, Joshua and Jason in the home that she and James established. Their union lasted 35 years until his passing.

During that time, she left the barber shop to begin teaching Barbering skills at Macon Area Technical School on Anthony Road beginning a 35 year career in Education resulting in hearing “Mrs. Jones” hundreds of times each day. She navigated the changes of consolidation, desegregation, standardization, accreditation, and optimization. She set records that were not talked about and will never be beaten. She taught more than barber science; she taught life science. She imparted skills that could not be taken away. She was not a teacher; she was a professor. She professed her knowledge and love of her occupation. She professed her faith, to anybody that would listen. She professed her love of family, not just with words but with deeds. She was a Professor.

In the classroom or lab, the call of “Mrs. Jones” was usually followed by a question or request. Outside the classroom you could still hear students say, ‘Mrs. Jones’, but what usually followed was a ‘don’t play’.

Rebecca retired from Central Georgia Technical College January 2001 after serving 35 years as ‘Mrs. Jones, Barbering’. In July of that year, she took on another challenging endeavor when she married Gregory Smith. Together, places were visited, experiences were had, and joys and sorrows were shared. They were not perfect people, but they were perfect for each other. They shared 24 years of marriage, and 34 years of friendship, until her passing. He’ll miss her for a long time but will love her always.

She leaves behind husband Greg; sons, Joshua and Jason; granddaughter, Tameka Pigett, and great grandson King Pigett; bonus daughter, Cheyna (Charles) Perry, bonus grandson, Gabriel Perry. A few close friends, lots of family. And many lessons, that will hopefully be shared with others by students and others who have crossed her path. It is believed she will be remembered fondly by many.

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