Remembering SANDS MYRA SMITH

FAREWELL NEW BIRTH 38 SANDS MYRA SMITH

On October 5th, 2022, we lost our line sister MYRA SMITH, 25AG73      to cancer. She is the third link we've lost from our New Birth 38 line to earn their heavenly wings.  Myra was very supportive of her line sisters and line activities as she testified at our 40th as a cancer survivor. She looked a picture of health and shined so brightly during our 45th Deltaversary Celebration activities in 2018. Myra was a beloved educator and Asst. Principal at Graceland Park.  She may have appeared quiet and stern but had this comedic personality that engaged you  like her beautiful smile.

Myra was staying at the home of her cousin when she passed and had not been well for nearly a year.  Michelle Hairston of our Support Services Committee spoke to Myra's husband and it appears Cancer resurfaced and took its toll.  Her husband said she had a teacher from her school taking care of her affairs who would be making the arrangements; and he would let Michelle know when arrangements were made.     

Rest in Omega Omega Heaven Myra, your New Birth 38 line sisters mourn your loss and we LOVE YOU!     

A Memorial Service is being planned for  MYRA, SAT., OCTOBER 15th at 1:00  at the Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home, 2011 Grayland Avenue, Richmond, Virginia  23220. No information yet whether the service will be video shown.

To view service, go to https://www.jenkinsjr.com/ Click on Myra's photo and view service.

TRIBUTE FROM FRIEND NIKKI R. TURNER

As reported on Facebook October 5, 2022 by Nikki R. Turner

I just found out that Myra Smith, the former assistant principal at Graceland Park, passed away. Mrs. Smith and I go way back…to the early 1990s. I was an assistant teacher at GP and she taught 4th or 5th grade. She always seemed super strict and stern to me, so I was absolutely shocked to see her jump onstage and hula dance with a buff performer at the Hawaiian Christmas show the school went to at the Baltimore Travel Plaza. I learned then that she loved music and she would often walk around the school singing.

When I wound up back at Graceland Park as a full-fledged teacher, she was the AP with our principal, Mr. Law…who sadly passed away in March. They were both super supportive of me in their own, very different ways. Mrs. Smith got dressed up with Mr. Law to come to our pre-K inauguration ball (we had an election…it was a whole thing). One of my favorite memories of Mrs. Smith is when she was doing an observation of the PE teacher, David C. Miller, who, for some reason, chose to use my class’s time period. Mr. Miller decided to be bold, get out the small basketball hoops, and try to teach a group of twenty 4-year-olds the fundamentals of basketball. When I came to pick my class up from the gym, I saw Mrs. Smith sprawled out on a folding chair, her clipboard fallen on the ground, and she was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. My kids were…um…chaotic is the nicest word I can think of. I don’t know what they were doing, but it wasn’t basketball. Mr. Miller looked so bemused. Mrs. Smith thoroughly enjoyed that observation. She told me once that she enjoyed the pre-k observations because you never knew what they were gonna do (truth!) I learned a lot from her and she gave me good advice at times when I felt overwhelmed. She and Mr. Law were a good team and I’m pretty sad to know they’re both gone.

*I don’t know whose picture this was originally, but it’s a great picture of some great ladies. Mrs. Smith looked lovely in pink shown in photo.

Michelle Alston Hairston 08.10.2022 13:04

That was a beautiful tribute to Myra. I am very saddened by her passing, but I am happy that God has ended her suffering and called her to her heavenly reward.