MAJ Jodie Chavez, ARMY, (Ret)

MAJ Jodie Ann Chavez, ARMY, (Ret) January 1, 1962 – July 21, 2025, passed away peaceably on July 21, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Jodie was born in Ft. Campbell, KY on January 1, 1962. Jodie was the heart of her family and community known for her laughter and ability to make people feel special. Jodie was a proud graduate of Clarksville High School where she loved music and was a member of the band and Austin Peay State University Class of 1984. Commissioned as an officer, she joined the US Army. Her career spanned many overseas tours including being a proud member of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during Operation Desert Storm.

After serving her country proudly, she retired after 21 years of service and continued serving her country as a citizen. Jodie had a passion for serving others which endeared her to everyone she encountered for making positive changes in their lives. She was happiest when surrounded by family, sharing a game or laughter filled conversation. She especially loved playing card games with her family. Aunt JoJo loved spoiling nieces and nephews and returning them to their parents and she was an avid fisherman.

She was active in the Community Theater and became active in the church. She became a district licensed pastor in the Church of the Nazarene and wore many hats. She played keyboards in the church for over a decade. She ran the operations for two major hurricane recovery operations for the parish in Louisiana. She loved working with the church youth and drove them in the church van to many camps and activities in and out of state. After retirement, she delayed moving away until all her youth graduated from high school. Her heart was in missions, and she was a soldier in God’s army. She went on several overseas missions including dangerous areas in Africa, Haiti and Mexico to serve others and spread the Gospel of Christ. She had an innate sense of fairness, and she was particularly concerned with the welfare of Veterans and the treatment of pets. She loved adopting retired greyhound dogs and enjoyed hiking with them. They were her children, and she is survived by her beloved 9th and 10th greyhounds, Winston and Zoe.

Jodie was preceded in death by her parents, COL (Ret) John A. Smith and Grace A. Smith and two brothers James Fox and Donald Fox and a sister Jacqueline Blakely. She is survived by her husband, Rudy Chavez Jr. and two brothers, Tom Smith and Peter Smith (Amanda) and a sister Tricia Harmount and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory at 424 Franklin Street, Clarksville, TN 37040 followed by a funeral service at 12:00 pm. This will be followed by internment at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY.