Martha Juanita James-Smith

Proud parents James and Maria Wiley Harrington welcomed daughter Martha Juanita on July 31, 1924, in Palatka, Florida. Born a twin and the only one to survive infancy, she was orphaned at a young age and taken in by her mother’s sister, “Aunt Katie”.

Martha remained in Florida until adulthood. After a failed marriage, she joined her brothers in New York. Being a hardworking woman, she held various jobs to support her only child, Vandalia.

Martha relocated to California in the early1970s, to help rear her grandchildren. She obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant credentials and worked over 17 years at Brookview West Convalescent Hospital. She was also a longtime member of Rock of Ages Missionary Baptist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star sisterhood lodge.

Always putting family first, Martha went back to New York to care for her ailing brothers. She met her future husband Alexander “Smitty” Smith through his friendship with her brothers. The couple, already in their golden years, married and remained together for over 20 years. As age began to take its toll, “Nana” and Smitty relocated to Grand Prairie, Texas, residing with her granddaughter Trevell and grandson-in-law Howard.

Nana was blessed to have lived a long life in good health. She accomplished what she set out to do … raise independent, responsible children (with an iron fist, an abundance of love and a greater abundance of prayer)!

Martha was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Lawrence, Herbert and Lunon Williams and James Harrington; sisters Katherine and Mary Harrington; aunt Katie Patterson Smith and granddaughter Vanessa Robertson.

Keepers of her dream are husband Smitty; daughter Vandalia (Trevor Sr.); grandchildren Trevell (Howard), Tawana, Richard, Trevor Jr. (Colleen), Joy, Janet, Jaime, Jody, Jeffrey (Yosesia); greatgrandchildren, Roy, Taria, Devon, Isaiah, Anais, Makaila, Tarissa, Jaineicia, Janae, Rachael, Brandon, Howie, Josh; greatgreatgrandchild Kali, plus a host of family and friends.