Cozie Smith, a retired educator with Broward County Schools, passed away on August 8, 2019. Born in Marianna (Jackson County), Florida to William Charles and Curlie Neota Sansome White on June 20, 1941, Cozie was baptized at age 12 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Marianna, FL. She attended schools in Jackson and Bay Counties (Florida), and Cuyahoga County (Ohio). She graduated in 1962 from Fisk University, Nashville, TN with a minor in German and a major in Spanish Language. In the summer of 1963, Cozie (Cee) extended her studies in Spanish by attending La Universidad de las Americas, in Mexico City, Mexico. There, she met another language student, Arthur (Art) Fields Smith, Jr., a native Chicagoan who was to become her husband on September 27, 1963.
Cozie was an avid reader and she quietly shared her wisdom with children. She was a giving spirit and she sponsored others in an informal and an unselfish way. Cozie encouraged everyone in her sphere to always reach higher and to achieve as much as they could. Whether they had doubts about buying a new dress, a new car, or a new house, one found encouragement from Cozie in pursuing one’s dreams. She, too, reached higher by earning the master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Nova University in Broward County, Florida.
Cee loved to support family members by attending dance recitals, cotillions, weddings, reunions, and funerals. She traveled mostly by car and drove with Art to distant places and even took a cross-country trip seeing sites and visiting relatives and friends.
Art and Cozie were married for more than 55 years and are parents of three children: Denise Michele Davis of Atlanta, GA; Arthur Fields Smith, III of Silver Spring, MD; and Sherri Nicole Alan (Richard) of St. Petersburg, FL. They are proud grandparents of Jordan B. Davis; Chelsea N. Alan; and Emily N. Alan.
Survivors include two sisters: Dr. Emma Joyce White Mills (Lev) of Atlanta, GA and Dr. Charlene Valoria White Latson (John) of Palm Beach and Broward Counties, FL.
Cozie’s extended families include descendants of George and Emma White of Stuart, Florida, as well as descendants of John Wilson, Sr and Ella Brown Sansome of Marianna, FL. Cozie found friendships among administrators, colleagues, and many students that she taught through her 48 years of service in education whether in Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Plant City, Port St. Lucie, Tallahassee, or at her workplace before retirement at Winston Park Elementary School in Coconut Creek.
Homegoing Services will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2019, with Viewing at 10:00 am and Service at 11:00 am. Kingdom of God Ministries, International, 10360 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, FL 33065.
Committal will be held on Monday, August 19, 2019 with a gathering at 10:00 am at South Florida National Cemetery, 6501 South State Road 7, Lake Worth, Florida 33449.
Arrangements by Kraeer Funeral Home at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 200 W. Copans Road, Pompano Beach, Florida 33064. www.dignitymemorial.com
The family acknowledges all words of kindness, cards, flowers, email, Facebook posts, and other expressions of condolence at this time of bereavement. We especially acknowledge the warmth and familial relationship with Pastor Windsor Ferguson and Lady Camille Ferguson of Kingdom of God Ministries International for their extended kindness beyond all measure.
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