Jeanne Evans Smith

Jeanne Evans Smith

Nashville Fashion Designer

Jeanne Evans Smith, renown Nashville fashion designer, passed away peacefully on January 5, 2026. She was born on July 19, 1932, in Johnson City, Tennessee, to Boyd McCutchen Evans Sr. and Mary Haun Evans.

Jeanne graduated from West High School and went on to attend Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she studied her lifelong passion, fashion design. After college, she studied Spanish in Mexico, an experience that sparked an enduring love for Mexican culture that influenced her life and work.

In Nashville, Jeanne began her career as a buyer and bridal consultant at Rich Schwartz and Joseph, where she dressed brides throughout the South into the early 1970s. Jeanne’s creativity eventually led her to launch her own clothing line, Jeanne’s Fantasia which was renowned for designing custom bridal gowns as well as special-occasion dresses for debutante balls, graduations, and christenings. Known throughout the South as “The White Dress Lady,” Jeanne remained a fixture in Southern fashion for more than five decades. Her mission “Designing dream dresses for life’s magical moments,” perfectly captured her creative gifts.

Jeanne’s designs were sold by luxury retailers including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Sakowitz among many others. She had many notable clients, among them Linda McCartney, Dottie West, Tammy Wynette, Amy Grant, and Reese Witherspoon. She was an early inductee into the Tennessee State Museum’s Costume & Textile Institute and was admired for mentoring many young designers.

While Jeanne was known for dressing with a unique style and flair, she also enjoyed interior design, antiquing, bible study classes, international travel, painting, and sculpture. She loved to entertain by throwing lavish themed parties including music and dancing.

Jeanne was married for more than 70 years to the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Dudley Smith Sr., until his death on October 21, 2025. Bob was a standout Vanderbilt basketball and baseball player, a Tennessee Sports Hall of Famer, Executive Director of the Tennessee Savings & Loan Association, and an Honorary Consul to Mexico for many years.

Together, Jeanne and Bob lived life fully, sharing a love of travel, live music, dancing, and their many communities, including Richland Country Club, Harbor Island Yacht Club, Nashville Jazz, Nashville Opera Guild, and Belle Meade United Methodist Church. While Jeanne spent most of her life creating beautiful designs for so many people, her most important "design work" was found woven into the lives of her sons. Jeanne is survived by her sons, Robert Dudley Smith Jr. (Trish), Bradford Evans Smith, and Randall B. Smith (Sonya); three grandchildren, Lauren Rena Smith, Lindsey Paige Smith, and Lexie

Hamilton Awad (Kasem), all of Nashville; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Darrell Hamilton Smith; her sister, Mary Evans Malone; and her brother, Boyd McCutchen Evans Jr.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects to Jeanne and Bob Dudley Smith at Belle Meade United Methodist Church on Thursday, January 29, 2026. Visitation will begin at 12:30 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 2:30 pm. The family will host a reception at Hillwood Country Club at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Muscular Dystrophy Association or the hospice that cared for Jeanne, The Gentiva Foundation.