Marie Ayerbe

December 5, 1933 - April 21, 2022

Marie Smith Ayerbe was born on December 5th, 1933, in St. Augustine, Florida, to John Lucas Smith and Millie Corbett of Hastings, Florida. She was their only child and was raised in Hastings on the family farm. She went on to attend the University of Florida where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. While in Gainesville she met her future husband, Carlos Ayerbe. They were married for over 25 years and together had 5 children: Carlos Eduardo (deceased), John Michael, Anne Marie, Lucy Christine, and Monique. Upon marrying she moved to Carlos’ hometown in Popayan, Colombia. She was immediately welcomed and embraced by the Ayerbe family, especially her new father-in-law whom she developed a close bond with. Of the many places they lived at, such as Washington D.C., Florida, Barbados, Peru, and Colombia, Marie always considered Popayan to be her home and spent the happiest years of her life there. She embraced the Spanish culture and loved dancing Salsa and Cumbia, enjoyed the delicious local foods, and made lifetime friends there. She will always be remembered by her beautiful smile, her laughter, and great sense of humor. Marie had many fine attributes of which her generous and loving spirit touched the lives of many. She is survived by four of her children and her 8 grandchildren whom she adored. A funeral service will be held Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel of Williams-Thomas Funeral Home Downtown. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service, beginning at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, www.stjude.org.