Almeta Payne Smith, 92, entered eternal rest on Dec. 11, 2020.
She was the beloved wife of William Jackson Smith, who predeceased her and with whom she shared 68 years of marriage. Mrs. Smith was born in Mexico, on May 19, 1928. She was the daughter of the late Oscar Porter Payne and Margaret Lorraine Irvin Payne, and sister of the late Dorothy Payne Miller. Mrs. Smith is survived by her children William Payne Smith, Linda Lorraine Smith Charles, Sonya Elizabeth Smith Prear (Tyrone) and Jeffrey Eliot Smith (Judy), and eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends.
After graduating high school in Mexico, Mrs. Smith attended Lincoln University, in Jefferson City, where she met her husband. They began their family in St. Louis and Kansas City, Kan., before ultimately moving to Connecticut in 1967. Mrs. Smith worked in early child development and later with the elderly until her own retirement in 1992.
A lover of music (and in particular of hymns and jazz), Mrs. Smith was a devoted parishioner of St. John's Episcopal Church in North Haven, Conn. for 52 years.
A private memorial service will be scheduled once the family can travel.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church (for the Memorial Gardens), 3 Trumbull Place, North Haven, CT 06473, or to Lincoln University (in memory of Almeta Payne Smith), 301 Young Hall, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc. of Tamaqua, Pa. entrusted with her care.
Expressions of sympathy or a fond memory of Almeta can be made by visiting www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com.
