Wanda Lisa Smith

Wanda Lisa Smith was born on March 7, 1960 in Philadelphia, PA. She was the only child born to, William L. Smith and Thelma D. Young. Wanda is survived by a sister Nicole A. Matthews and a brother David Smith from her dad William L. Smith and later wife Carolyn Smith, of whom Wanda also had a very close relationship with. Wanda was very creative and talented as a child. She loved to sew, knit, draw, dance, sing, and write music and poems. She attended Camden Senior High School in route to finishing her high school education where she was met with challenges of pregnancy with her only child, Shemar L. Smith Sr. It was during this time, at the age of 17, where Wanda made the conscious decision to set her education on a temporary hold to care for Shemar.

Wanda continued to stay in Philadelphia for a few years before relocating to Suitland Md. During her stay in Md, her mother and then husband, Roger Young cared for her son while Wanda obtained her GED and continued her education, taking courses at a computer learning school. After Wanda received her certificate, she started hunting for a career and landed a high-paying job with the Department of Labor. During this time period, she met some friends who will be valued as ‘sisters’ forever. Specifically speaking; her best friend Donita Gray and to add Gwen Harris, Laurie Evans, Debora, Connie, Vicki Johnson and from her younger days, Sharon Holbrook. She also had her cherished and beloved Super-Dog, Shane, from whom she had from a puppy until his final years as a very old dog.

Wanda had two very special godchildren, Sameera Gray and Diamond Johnson, whom she loved and cared for as if they were her own children. Throughout Wanda's life of love, family and friends, her MAIN HOBBY was roller skating - you could not keep her away from a skate party whether it was Crystal Skates, Wheel-A-While, Sea Brook Skating, Baltimore's Shake & Bake, or for the icing on the cake, an out-of-state skating trip. Wanda was not only there, she was always a part of the party as she (and sometimes with her son Shemar and grandsons). She danced on those wheels forwards, backwards, kneeling or in circles until Wanda ultimately ended up in the middle of the rink as if she were part of the cast of the movie "Roll Bounce", YES! She was that good!

Unfortunately, as Wanda continued through life she began to encounter many health challenges - one of those challenges included being diagnosed with diabetes. As a result, she eventually went blind and begin to battle other onslaughts of the disease, coupled with other health challenges that drastically changed her lifestyle. Through this time, Wanda, being raised in the church, built a stronger relationship with Christ and stayed in prayer with our Father God where she found the strength to continue on despite her many challenges until she was called home to be with The Lord.

Wanda is survived by her one and only devoted son, Shemar Lee Smith Sr; his wife and her daughter-in-law, Tonya Brown-Smith, five grandsons: De'Andre Shemar Thomas; Shemar Lee Smith Jr. (Who served often as her caretaker); Tyrone McBride; William Leon Smith and Jaylynn JoeShae Smith. Three great-grandson sons: De'Andre Shemar Thomas Jr. and Brison and Quincy Thomas. Sister: Nicole A. Matthews; brother, David Smith and mother-in-law, Carolynn Smith. First cousins: Donna Simms; Debra and Denise Simms. Her beloved best friend Donita Gray and other aforementioned sister-like best friends. The Dixon family, Beverly family, Hider family, Alsop family and a host of other family, relatives and friends.