Mary L. Smith

Mary Ellen Smith, daughter of the late Lambert and Gladys Roberts, was born on May 30, 1925 in Centreville, MD. She departed this life on March 23,2016 in Centreville, MD at the age of 90. Mary Ellen graduated from Kennard High School receiving her diploma. She later pursued higher education in Business Administration from Chesapeake College. In addition to furthering her knowledge, she also took sewing classes there as well. She was a member of the Homemakers Club because she loved making crafts. Mary Ellen has served her community greatly while touching the lives of many. She was instrumental in orchestrating the First African American Kindergarten in Queen Anne's County and she stayed faithful to its inception until the State eventually became fully involved and took over. She played a very important role during World War II as she worked for the County/Civil Engineer Service as a "Plane Spotter." Her code name was "Popular Quillar Nine Zero Red". Mary Ellen was always very dedicated and committed to any work that she was appointed, asked or she genuinely chose to do. She also loved to travel but absolutely loved to cook or bake and just "feed people". She appeared on two segments of Maryland's PBS TV program as she instructed her audience how to prepare "Mary Ellen's fried chicken" and "Maryland Beaten biscuits". She has recipes that were published in the "Queen Anne Goes to Kitchen" Cookbook. Mary Ellen truly loved God and that was made evident through her effectual fervent prayers in the Intercessory Prayer Group, songs of praise as she ministered in music as a member of several church choral groups, daily devotion as she read her Bible faithfully, worship as she talked to the her Heavenly Father and her love for life and people. She was a Greeter at her church and she enjoyed serving others which really was her life's mission. While Mary Ellen will be greatly missed, we will remember her for the many loving, kind, caring and compassionate and even humorous things she has left her footprint on the hearts of our lives. She will be ever so fondly remembered as a devoted mother, sister, aunt and friend with a compassionate heart. Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her late husband, Lewis G. E. Smith, Sr. and late sister, Gladys Carter. She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Lewis Smith, Jr. of Pittsburg, PA and Ronald Smith of Centreville, MD; two daughters, Ida Mae Jeffers (Kevin) of Elgin, TX and Sydney "Pumkin" Doehler of Centreville, MD; four grandchildren, Shannon Morgan (Nigel) of Smyrna, DE, Yolanda Kennard of Baltimore, MD, Latoya Veeney (Nathaniel) of Centreville, MD and Launa Ross (Steven) of Pittsburg, PA; six great-grandchildren, Mitchell Stanley, Jr. of Smyrna, DE, Brianna Veeney of Centreville, MD, Auriana Green of Pittsburg, PA, Eunique Green of Pittsburg, PA, Steven Ross, Jr. of Pittsburg, PA and Anna'lei Ross of Pittsburg, PA; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary L. Smith, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Mary L. Smith

May 30, 1925 - March 23, 2016