Jessie Smallwood

Jessie Marie Smallwood was a native New Orleanian with childhood roots in the Lower 9thWard. She attended McDonough #6 elementary school, high school at Gilbert Academy and Gaudet before graduating from Xavier University in 1955 with a BS in Medical Technology. In 1972, she went on to earn master’s degrees in Public Health and City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley. After Berkeley Jessie joined Arthur D. Little, providing health planning/ administration, city and regional planning, housing development expertise. In 1976 Jessie returned to Louisiana to support better health and housing access in her home state. First serving as the Assistant Commissioner of Administration for Louisiana under Governor Edwin Edwards, working on veterans and early childhood education programs. In New Orleans, Jessie served as the first Executive Director of the Bayou Region Health Systems Agency where she established criteria and standards for measuring the cost effectiveness and efficiency of key health services. Jessie may be best remembered for her work as the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of New Orleans. Well known for both her support of tenants and solid financial management of the agency. During her tenure she moved the agency from budget deficit to a nearly $3 million dollar reserve. Jessie’s public service resumed after Hurricane Katrina, when she agreed to return to government as Deputy Director of the Office of Recovery Management at the City of New Orleans to help rebuild the city she loved by securing projects to provide long term recovery support for local residents. Jessie pursued her passion for historic housing by renovating an 1852 New Orleans home. Saved from the city demolition list, Jessie researched the property’s history to assure an appropriate restoration and earned an award for preservation excellence. In 1989, Jessie’s ongoing interest in finance and investments led her to pursue training and achieved certification (1989) as a licensed life insurance agent and later (2012) was licensed as a financial advisor. Jessie loved music, jazz, gospel but especially the blues. She was trained in modern dance and thoroughly enjoyed her beloved city’s art and culture. Smart, witty, outspoken, thoughtful, challenging, yet kind and giving. Jessie lived her life to her fullest. She demanded excellence and believed that everyone had the ability to learn and contribute. Jessie leaves behind daughters Rima M. Theard and Brita A. Theard-Blum (Eugene Blum); granddaughter Jessica L. Theard-Fleming and scores of close friends and former associates. Public Servant, Business Owner, social Justice Advocate & Activist, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of New Orleans are invite to attend the memorial at D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave. on Saturday October 7, 2023 at 12:30 pm. Visitation at 12:00 pm. Interment: Private. Arrangement by D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8858396735?pwd=eWdYTTFpVUdGUXptNTcvVGx4NTJvQT09 Meeting ID: 885 839 6735 Passcode: 123456

Jessie Smallwood

August 9, 2023