Rebecca Candice Nordick

Rebecca "Candi" Candice Nordick, died peacefully in the early hours of July 27th, 2020 at Brightmoor Hospice in Griffin, Georgia. Candi was being visited and comforted by her daughters at the time of her passing. Candi was born in Maryville, Tennessee on February 6th, 1960. She was the oldest child born to Billy Allen Smithey and Caroline Cornelia Beard. Candi was always ready and willing to recount her very southern upbringing in the states of Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. She spoke fondly of jumping off of bridges over water in Saluda, SC and being raised in a city with no postal route. Candi often told stories of her friends from high school and how much fun she had with women she stayed in contact with like Rose, Ardie, Sherry, and her beloved Kathy Abeyta, who passed away too soon in 2013. Candi was a huge music buff and loved music of all kinds; she attended dozens of concerts over the years. As a parent, Candi was very active in her children's school and sports activities, often coaching or serving as the team mother. Later in life, she became a foster parent and that is where she spent much of her time and energy for over 15 years. She cared for the children of strangers and yet never treated the children as such. Always the nurturing type, Candi stopped fostering children when her life-partner and ex-husband Jack Nordick had a few debilitating strokes and she spent her last few years caring for him until his passing in April of 2020. To say Candi was always willing to help or support her friends or family is an understatement. She would drop anything to help anyone and very seldom turned anyone down when they needed her. Candi was loving, fun, goofy, unique, and lived her life as she chose. She did what she wanted, wore what she liked, and enjoyed any opportunity to spend time with family and friends on cruises, during "No TV Sundays" and "Donut Sundays", or even just by helping host or cook for every single holiday or birthday. She loved her family and her "Grands" more than anything, always so excited about every small milestone. She was social and caring and most of all, she enjoyed her life. Candi was preceded in death by her partner Jack Steven Nordick and her first husband Richard Eugene Barnett. She is survived by their three children Rikki Barnett, Allen Barnett, and Kathy Daley; Jack's two children Jean Vargas and Marylin Nordick; Jack and Candi's 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren whom Candi loved and adored up until the moment she took her last breath. Candi's social media shows how many lives she touched and the outpouring of love and support from her friends has been overwhelming. Her life and her spirit could never be forgotten. Due to the current health crisis in the United States, the family has chosen not to have a memorial for the sake of everyone's health. Her family will have a small gathering for Candi and Jack at a later date at a location that is special to them.