Edna Joyce Smith, affectionately known as Joyce, was born in Dothan, Alabama on August 9, 1941, to Nadine Cummings and Curlie Lawson. Life for Joyce started in her grandmother’s care in the South until the age of 13 years old. Her mother came back to Alabama and brought her by train through Washington, DC and onto Boston. While in Boston, “Joycie” attended the Luther B. Rice School where she would later meet her future husband, Robert T. Smith. On July 6, 1963, they were married at the Concord Baptist Church. Married for 58 years to loving husband Robert T. Smith, their loving union produced three dynamic children. She was faithful and loved the Lord with all her heart. She was strong with a quiet spirit.
Her personal and professional career spans over 50 years with the love and gift of caring for children. She was employed at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Boston for over 20 years and served as a nurse’s aide in the Intensive Care Unit and was later promoted to ICU Division secretary. During her time at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Boston, she was also employed at the Paine Elementary School in Dorchester, MA where she was a loyal “lunch mother” to hundreds of children. On many occasions, she would send extra food home with the children who might go hungry over the weekend. Joyce was warned about sending food home, but she didn’t care about the consequences because she knew it was more important to provide care for the children in greatest need.
After her tenure at Children’s, she successfully started an in-home child day care in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. When she moved to Maryland in 1986 and settled on Bybee Street in Kemp Mill (Silver Spring) with her husband, she continued to successfully operate her home childcare business for almost 20 years. She cared for many children and sometimes they would not want to go home. Her loving children would often spend the night because they did not want to leave Mrs. Smith’s side. Even after some of the children were grown and no longer in her loving care, they would still come back and visit her on Bybee Street.
Joyce was a loving, kind, and successful woman who loved her family, her husband, and her children. Her home was always open and there was always a hot meal on the stove and a place on the couch to relax for anyone stopping by to visit. This was a testament to the comfort and care she made everyone feel while in her home.
The family always hosted fight nights and tennis parties for family and their closest friends. These events were other great examples of how Joyce always kept her house open to fellowship.
Joyce is survived by her husband Bob “James” and her three children, Lauren, Shenan (Tracie), and Aaron (Chaela). She is also survived by grandchildren Kriss, Jackson, Mia, Kamryn, Jamie, Quentin, and Carter, along with one great-grandchild, Kumari. Joyce had a handful of nieces, nephews, and many “adopted” sons and daughters.
A memorial gathering for Edna will be held Thursday, October 7, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home, 11800 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904. Following the memorial gathering will be a memorial service from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hinesrinaldifuneralhome.com for the Smith family.
