Judy Wolff Paynesmith's Obituary
Judy Wolff Paynesmith, age 79, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away on Saturday, December 6, 2025, in Fayetteville.
Judy was born on September 30, 1946, in Nashville, Arkansas, to William Hix Smith and Ruby Nell Payne. She graduated from Nashville High School in 1964. Judy was devoted to her family and was a lifelong learner and avid reader. She achieved a significant personal milestone by attending the University of Arkansas at the same time as her daughter and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology. Later, she worked as a medical transcriptionist for Washington Regional Medical Center,
In 2009, Judy channeled her culinary passion into a business, co-founding Lean Green Cuisine, a vegan food operation she ran alongside her daughter. As a vegetarian, she had an extraordinary love for animals and was a constant advocate for rescuing dogs.
She was preceded in death by several beloved canine companions, including Tory, Lilliput, Bubba, Argus, Bitsy Boo, Nelly Bell, Anderson, Hanna, Cinderella, Honeyboo, Hanna, and Baby, as well as her parents and her brother, William Hix Smith, Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Caroline Israel (formerly Mylea Wolff) of Morro Bay, CA; her beloved sisters, Sue McClure of Nashville, AR, and Vicky Sandefur of Texarkana, TX; and her canine companion, Honey Bear; and numerous nieces and nephews.
No public services are planned at this time. Instead, her family will honor her wishes and her memory by scattering her ashes on a pond in Nashville, Arkansas, where they shared many memorable family picnics over the years.
And if she listens closely enough, Judy just may hear Mylea singing, Good night, sleep tight, Don't let the bedbugs bite. I love you better, and I always will....
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Humane Society of the Ozarks
Cremation arrangements are by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home in Fayetteville. To leave a tribute, please visit https://www.bernafuneralhomes.com.
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