Doris Juanita Smith

Doris Juanita Dobbins Smith was born July 26, 1928 to Emma Fannie Wright Dobbins and Richard Lawson Dobbins in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She was the fourth oldest child– eight siblings would follow. Doris passed on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the age of 95. Doris loved to recite the names of each sibling in birth order. Richelyn, Bernard, Willis (Bill), Doris, Clemuel, Erma, Herbert, Ronald, Gerald, John, Dale (Chauncey), and Elizabeth.

According to cherished family stories, Doris was a spunky and athletic child who loved to run, play outdoors and have fun. As Doris entered her teen years, she developed a love for fashion and would borrow her older sister, Richelyn’s most prized outfits without permission, of course, causing Richelyn a bit of sisterly irritation, but always a heart full of love existed between the two. According to her siblings, Doris was sweet and talkative, bright and energetic and always a daddy’s girl.

Doris attended Meadville High School and graduated in 1946. Despite her love of short stories and poetry, her most passionate desire was to be a nurse. Upon graduation, Doris enrolled in Allegheny College in Meadville to study Nursing. However, because of the expense, Doris withdrew from school and moved to Cleveland, where several of her mother’s sisters resided. Doris spent a short while living with family, but soon moved into the Phyllis Wheatley, located at 4450 Cedar Avenue. The Phyllis Wheatley

provided safe, affordable housing for African American women working in Cleveland. It is also where Doris met many of the friends she would maintain throughout her life, like best friend, Ida Williams and her sister-in-law, Ernestine Smith. Doris held several jobs, but developed a true knack and precision for secretarial work and office management. After studying short-hand, dictation, and typing, Doris was especially proud to land a secretarial position with Cleveland attorney, David Hill. Afterward, she captured a position with the City of Cleveland in the Department of Human Resources under Mayor Carl Stokes’s administration. Doris remained the Executive Secretary for the Executive Director for Human Resources until her retirement in 1988.

During her early days in Cleveland, a family friend, Walter Smith, arrived, allowing them to resume a short courtship that began in Meadville. The Dobbins from Meadville, PA and the Smiths from Franklin, PA met through their association with the Church of God. Doris was the vibrant and adorable young lady that Walter could not forget. Doris would fondly speak about how Walter would pick her up from the Phyllis Wheatley and take her on long walks throughout the city, talking and listening to each other’s dreams

for the future. The two married on February 17, 1951 and settled in the Glenville area before moving to the Mount Pleasant neighborhood that they would call home for over thirty-five years. Early on, the couple were members of the Church of God at 73rd and Cedar, 86th Street Church of God, and raised their family at Glenville Church of God before becoming members of Mount Pleasant Church of God, now known as Fellowship Church of God.

From their union were born four children, Carol Elaine, Walter Jerome III, David Roland and Fawn Michele. Doris and Walter raised their children in a home where a loving foundation and example of Christian values and discipleship was laid. Both instilled in their children a deep sense and demonstration of the value of education and the musical arts. Each was encouraged to play an instrument. All four were involved in Cleveland’s Singing Angels Chorus as well.

Doris and Walter were joined at the hip and experienced the ups and downs of life together. It was rare to see Doris without Walter because she never learned to drive and he was her best and most loyal “chauffeur.” Whether to the grocery store, to the hair salon, or to visit her beloved friends Ida Williams or Betty Ford, Doris called on Walter – because Doris Smith was “not gettin’ on nobody’s bus”. (Smile)

Beginning in 1958, the family resided at 3570 E. 140th Street until Walter became ill with Parkinson’s. In December 1995, Carol, Verise and their three daughters welcomed Doris and Walter into their loving home and offered the support needed to care for their father and grandfather. Walter Smith passed on October 25, 2000 at University Hospital. Doris continued to live with Carol and Verise and moved with them to Charlotte, NC in March 2018. In April 2022, Doris moved back to Cleveland where she could receive the roundthe-clock care that could be provided by healthcare workers with the added comfort of

family and church friends. The rest of the family are forever indebted to Carol, Verise, Krysten, Kimberly, and Kelley for the deep love, support and attention they gave their mother and grandmother during more than 25 years, and to Walter III and Jackki when Doris returned to Cleveland.

Doris loved the Lord, first and foremost. She didn’t miss many opportunities to talk to someone about Jesus through her oh so unsubtle questions that rarely seemed to render an awkward response. On the contrary, her infectious smile, sincerity and love could find a way to any person’s head and heart. By the end of an exchange, the accosted stranger would often hug her and tell one of her children how much they loved their new acquaintance, Doris. She always delighted in serving at Mt. Pleasant Church of God and Fellowship Church of God. Doris never let age stop her from involvement. In fact, she worked in and even headed the Kitchen Committee, volunteered for Evangelism Explosion and Vacation Bible School, taught Sunday School, and served in other capacities as needed into her late 80s. She also loved to sing and play the piano, read, play Scrabble, work a challenging crossword or Sudoku puzzle, shop for pantsuits and shoes, and eat a piping hot meal at a good restaurant. Her day was always brightened with the company of loved ones to enjoy any one of those favorites.

Doris was a playful delight, even to the end of her life. Her fun-loving nature could always be detected in her smile and contagious giggles and laughter. Doris was especially proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also adored her brothers and sisters. Before her memory failed, she often told stories about their lives and small details about her love for each. The family will miss Doris beyond what words can describe but they know she is in the arms of her Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Doris is preceded in death by her husband, Walter Jerome Smith Jr.; parents, Richard and Emma Wright Dobbins; brothers, Willis, Jerald, Clemuel, Herbert and Ronald; sisters, Richelyn Dobbins Pullen and Erma Dobbins Williams. She is survived by her children, Carol Dean (Verise), Walter (Chip) Smith III (Jacquelyn), David Smith and Fawn Harris (Roderick); grandchildren, Krysten Dean, Kimberly Dean Bandy, Kelley Dean Ditzel (Ty), Lyndsey Smith, Brittany Smith, Tyler Smith, Kent Harris and Nile Harris;

great-grandchildren, Sydney, Savannah, Shalon, Tyce, Dash, Grayh, Aiden and Gnohx. Doris also leaves to mourn her older brother, Bernard Dobbins (Dolores); younger siblings, John Dobbins (Dedra), Dale Dobbins and Lizz Musone (Mark); sisters-in-law, Ann Smith Strong (Craig) and Carolyn Smith (Wayman); best friend, Marvena Suberbey; loving niece, Patricia Henderson; beloved caretaker, Ada Santiago; beloved former caretaker of Walter, Josephine Ortiz; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and church family.

A visitation for Doris will be held Friday, March 8, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Cummings & Davis Funeral Home, 13201 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44112. A wake will occur Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM at Fellowship Church of God, 24821 Columbus Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146. A funeral service will occur Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Fellowship Church of God, 24821 Columbus Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146. An interment cleveland memorial garden will occur.