Sadie L Smith

Sadie Louise Smith, Mom, Aunty Sadie was born in Marlie Hill, in the Parish of St. Catherine in the green hills of Jamaica on May 2nd, 1929 to Uriah and Peninah Smith.  Sadie Smith is mother of four daughters and one son: Yvonne, Shirley (given name Olive), Joan, Marlene, and Clive. She is grandmother of Vivien, Georgia, Jonathan, Lucy, Tracy-Ann, Andrew, Michelle, Alexia, Alecia, Paula-Ann, Shari, Brianna, Gavin, and Claire; and great grandmother to Louise, Madison, and Ariana.

She is survived by her sisters Isma, Violet, and Beulah and their families who hold Aunty Sadie in loving memory.  Her sons-in-law Percival, Warren and daughter-in-law Elaine join in with prayerful support, along with Aunty Sadie’s many loving nieces and nephews who bring great memories and reflections of moments with their Aunty Sadie’s vibrancy, liveliness, humor, encouragement, enthusiasm, and emotion.

Mom loved to travel.  She moved to England from Jamaica in 1960. In the early 1970s, she moved back to Jamaica for a short while before returning to England.  In the early 1980s, she moved permanently to the United States.  In between those milestone moves, she traveled for fun, sometimes by herself, making friends along the way to such places as Egypt, Canada, and Costa Rica.  I remember family trips to Paris and Amsterdam. She would be the first to suggest that we go out and explore places. Whenever we were at the beach in Jamaica or Florida, she was always the first to strip down to her bathing suit and be in the ocean before anyone missed her. While everyone stood around chatting, they would suddenly realize she was gone and say, “Where’s Sadie?” “Oh-oh, she’s in the sea.  Look how far out she swim already!”  That was Mom.

Mom was a seamstress by occupation back in the day before and after she left Jamaica. She sewed everything from skirts and blouses to children’s coats, gowns, and a wedding dress.  In the 1970s and 1980s, she worked for London Transport before retiring to Florida.

Mom’s favorite board game was Ludo (“loodee”).  She was so good at it that everyone teamed up to beat her… and often without success. She would remind us that she was the one who taught us how to play!

When she graduated from cosmetology school in London UK as an entrepreneur, she was an extremely proud student.  When she completed a facial on you, everyone could see the difference.  She was talented and chose to live life on her terms, says one of her granddaughters.

In her daily devotions, in her intimate prayer life when she spoke to God, she would sometimes refer to Him as “Papa.”  “My Papa is my strength.” “Papa Jesus.” When facing down adversity, including the physical adversities that assaulted her health, she would quote Philippians 4:13 –“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”She would encourage others with the same scripture.

Rest in the Lord.