Avril J. Smith

Born in Montreal, Quebec, she graduated from McGill University with a degree in the arts. With a dream to become an actress on Broadway, she moved to New York City and worked as both a Conniver Agency model and theatre usher, while taking dance lessons with Martha Graham. She fell in love with Eugene H. Smith, an actor from Brooklyn who was working on Broadway in the original production of “South Pacific.” One day he encouraged her to knock on the stage door of the Booth Theater to see if they had any openings. As luck would have it, the stage manager gave her a job in the Broadway show, “Anne of a Thousand Days”, starring Rex Harrison. When the show closed, she went out with the touring company as well. She and Eugene were married in Montreal on June 26th, 1950.

Avril’s starring roles since then have been that of loving wife, devoted mother, beloved grandmother, cherished great-grandmother, Girl Scout leader, PTA president, substitute teacher, sought after meeting moderator, and animal lover. She was a Life Member of the Actors Fund and former deacon of Queens Baptist Church.

Avril was predeceased by Eugene in 2012. She leaves behind her children Jason Smith, the Rev. Dr. Stacie Turk and husband Michele Cacciottolo, Rev. Megan Smith, Deirdre Cangialosi and husband Victor, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She will be missed, and she will be eternally loved.