Carolyn Beth Cunningham Smith

Carolyn Smith was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in February 24, 1924 and was the only child of Frederick and Ester Cunningham. Her family moved to Chappaqua, New York where she graduated from high school.

She attended the Stratford Business School in Virginia. Upon completion of her academics she moved to Maryland and was employed by the Equitable Trust bank. She met her future husband Julian Sinclair Smith when he was a customer of her’s at the bank.

Julian and Carolyn were married in 1948 and subsequently had four children. Dr. Frederick G. Smith, David D. Smith, Julian D. Smith, and Robert E. Smith.

Carolyn and her husband began FOX 45-TV in 1971 in Baltimore that became the Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1986. Sinclair is currently one of the largest media companies in America. After the death of her husband in 1993 Carolyn became President of Cunningham Communications. Additionally, she continued her life long interest in philanthropy.

She established a chair in the John Hopkins University School of Engineering in the name of her late husband a Hopkins electrical engineering graduate. She supported numerous local private schools and charities and was respected and revered by all who knew her.

Mrs. Smith died June 19, 2012 after a long term of combating a myriad of neurologic myopathies. She is survived by her four sons and thirteen grandchildren.

The family will receive friends in the Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley, Inc., 10 W. Padonia Road, Timonium, MD 21093 on Thursday, June 21 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9pm with a service to be celebrated at 8pm at the funeral home. In Lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Mrs. Smith’s memory to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305. Interment private in Keyser, WV. . A guest book is available at www.lemmonfuneralhome.com