Laura Mae Smith

Laura Mae Smith played a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for her family, friends, and community. She was embodied with strength, intelligence and grace. Laura always had a smile and pleasant word for those she greeted.

Laura Mae Smith was the oldest of three children born to Hortense and Emmett Brown on January 5, 1925 in Antlers, Oklahoma. She accepted Christ at an early age.

Laura was raised and attended school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a child, when other kids were outside playing, she would stay inside reading a book. She was a good student and skipped the 2nd grade. She attended George Washington Carver junior high school and Booker T. Washington high school where she achieved high honors as the Salutatorian of her class.. She received an academic scholarship to Talladega College, the oldest historically Black college in Alabama.

After a year of college, she moved to Portland in order to work at the Kaiser naval shipyards during World War ll.

In 1945, Laura met and married the love of her life, Harold Smith. They enjoyed forty-five years of marriage until Harold’s untimely death in 1990. They have three children, Kenneth, Alim, and Gregory.

Laura was a Life member of the NAACP. She was very active with the Vancouver NAACP and served as the membership chairperson for several years. She was an affable person who loved people and had many friends. She was an accomplished chef with outstanding culinary skills. She loved reading. She was an informed person who followed contemporary domestic and world affairs. She could converse with anyone on a variety of subjects. She loved Jazz, blues and classical music. She enjoyed live theatre, Broadway plays and musicals.

Laura worked for 28 years at Crown Zellerbach before retiring in 1987. Prior to that she worked as a domestic and homemaker after WWll.

During the past few months, her health declined. Laura, her family and friends knew that although she was sick, that she was not going to depart this Earth until God wanted her to leave. On April 22, 2012 God decided that it was her time to come home to Him.

Laura’s memory is cherished by her sons, Kenneth L Smith (Catherine), Alim S. Abdul Jabbar, and Gregory A. Smith. Her sister Belva Jean Griffin, her brother Melvin Brown;

Grandchildren Turiya Autry, Lola Abdul Jabbar, Eric Cruse, and Kaden Spray; Great grandchildren Elijah Autry and Ekela A Autry and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

The family wishes to extend a special thanks to caregivers Belva Jean Griffin, Dana Griffin , Jody Lang –Flanery, and Sharon Myles for their sensitive, caring help.

In addition the family appreciated the volunteer work of Ethel Hunter and Kiki Wallace.