Evelyn Marie Smith was born to Christopher C. and Pernie Daniels on January 15,1930 in Ada, Oklahoma, and was the 5th of 7 children. Her Family moved to Riverside, California where her father was a pastor of the Church of Christ in Riverside, where she attended as a young child. She received education in the Riverside Unified School District where she graduated from Polytechnic High School. She attended some college courses in management and worked for 30 plus years in different management positions, working for the Army & Air Force Exchange Food Service as well as the Navy Exchange Food Service, until she retired at the age of 62.
She married and had 11 children. She was preceded in death by her baby daughter Teresa Arleen Smith (June,1963), her husband Samuel Edward Smith (February, 2001) and her son Jonathan David "Johnny" Smith (November, 2014.) Being an Army family, they moved often from Riverside, California to Ft. Lewis, Washington, to Munich, Germany and to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. They settled in San Diego, California in 1971, when her husband Samuel E. Smith retired from the United States Army. Evelyn and Samuel decided to purchase a few businesses, namely a 7/11 and a cafe which they had for a few years on the corner of Meadowbrook and Skyline in San Diego.
Due to Evelyn's upbringing in the church, she always had her family attend church services in whatever state or country they lived in. The first church that they attended in SAn Diego was the Church of Christ on 38th and Hemlock, the Raven St. Church of Christ, and the 61st and Division Church and attended church until she could not not physically attend anymore, she continued her worship by watching 61st St. Church Services online until her passing on April 15, 2023.
Evelyn leaves to mourn her loss: Her brother, the only living sibling, Eddie Lee Daniels; nine children, Sandria A. Nelson, Douglas A. Ward, Edmond D. Ward, Don E. Smith, Brenda L. Smith, Deborah J. Green, Sharon R. Smith, Belinda G. Robinson, and Regina L. Black. Also: Shannon Smith (daughter in law) , Steven Robinson (son in law), and Joel Black (son in law).
Grandchildren: Sophia A. Nelson, Esq., Ronald Nelson Jr., Douglas Ward Jr., Jenea Ward, Kimberly Ward, Keisha Ward, Edmond Daryl Ward Jr., Yaneth Ward (spouse of Daryl Jr.), Crystal Ward, Darlana Ward, Teresa Ward, Sabrina Ward, Shielah Knight, Don II, Antonio Clay Adrian Smith, Shanitra Overton, Michael Overton (spouse of Shanitra), Shawanee White, Ron White Jr. (spouse of Shawanee), Selina Benson, Donald Benson (spouse of Selina), Latoya Robinson, Steven Robinson Jr., Alisha Anderson, Pierre Anderson (spouse of Alisha), Joshua Cramton, Azeely Cramton (spouse of Joshua) and Jessica Black. Also there are 36 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
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