HILDA BELL SMITH
June 30, 1925-July 1, 2012
Our beloved mother, Hilda Bell Smith, passed away suddenly on July 1, 2012, at the age of 87, with family by her side in San Francisco, Calif.
A visitation will be held between 6 and 8 p.m., Tuesday, July 17, at Seymour Funeral Home in Goldsboro. A service will be held Wednesday, July 18, at St. Paul Methodist Church at 10 a.m. prior to burial in Willow Dale Cemetery next to her beloved husband, J. Andrew Smith Jr.
Born June 30, 1925, in Goldsboro, she attended Goldsboro High School and the Woman's College of UNC. She married her beloved childhood sweetheart, J. Andrew Smith Jr., March 16, 1944. Together they started a family and traveled extensively during his career in the Air Force before settling back in their hometown of Goldsboro in 1969, where she was an integral part of her husband's Certified Public Accounting Business for 20 years. Prior to that she was in University Administration at the Air Force Academy in Colorado throughout the early '60s to put money away for her girls' college fund. Throughout her life, Hilda was primarily and proudly a homemaker and devoted wife, with extensive community involvement, and a gracious hostess.
In August 1995, Hilda moved to San Francisco after much urging by her devoted daughter and family. She was one of the original residents of the San Francisco Towers, where she carved out a beautiful life during the past 17 years. Hilda brought her southern hospitality and charm with her to California and she cultivated many friendships in San Francisco. She always remained a gentle Southern lady.
A profoundly spiritual person, she was always dedicated to her beloved St. Paul Church in Goldsboro and served as a deacon for many years at her adopted Calvary Church in San Francisco. She was a very active member of The Century Club and served in many capacities. Her greatest passion, other than family, friends, children and her community, was flowers and she had many wonderful memories from her time on the flower committee at the Towers and her many years in her North Carolina Garden Club.
She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity, her optimism and ever-good attitude, her strength and determination, her unwavering loyalty, her delightful sense of humor and her gracious loving presence.
Beloved wife of the late J. Andrew Smith Jr., she is survived by her devoted daughter, Terry and "son" Scott Gross of San Francisco; and daughter, Patricia Lynda Harrison of New Hampshire; four grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law: Diane and Jason Bundas, Lisa and Nils Erickson, Samual "Andy" Andrew and Jamie Hall, Julie and Jon Hartman; and five great-grandchildren: Ian Bundas, Lars Erickson, Matthias Hall, Shane and Quinn Hartman. She is also survived by a large close-knit family and good friends on both coasts, all of them deeply touched by her life.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on July 15, 2012 10:05 AM