This memorial website was created in the memory of our beloved Hilda Smith, 87, born on June 30, 1925 and passed away on July 1, 2012. Please feel free to leave your memories and stories.
A visitation will be held between 6-8 pm, Tuesday, July 17th at Seymour Funeral Home in Goldsboro. A service will be held Wednesday, July 18th at St. Paul Methodist Church at 10 am prior to burial in Willow Dale Cemetery next to her beloved husband J. Andrew Smith Jr.
Tributes
Leave a tributeRon
I will remember your delight as you scraped the last bit of topping from the metal container with a smile. "Gracious Me."
I will remember the twinkle in your eyes as I watch your great grandchildren frolic.
You are with me always and yet I miss you so...
What I wouldn't give to hear her laugh... To see her eyes twinkle as she played with the kids...the lilt in her voice when she said, "I love you, honey."
She was sweeter than sugar. Stronger than iron. And smart as a whip. But most of all she was delightful.
I am grateful to have her love in my heart and her words of wisdom in my mind. Thank you, Hilda Bell Smith!
Ron
Thank you for filling our lives with delight and our memories with such goodness. I love you forever.
She was a lady in every sence of the word and she is truly missed.
Suzanna Allen
I am at SF Towers to teach my singing class. She was such a music lover. I'm glad she was born and I'm really sorry she's not with us
now...
Elen and I were so sad to learn about Hilda. We loved her, as a very "universal grand-ma", a grand-mother for all of us! I feel today that I had the great privilege to experience her sweetness, her constant care to all of us (remembering a few trips with her in France, she always had a kind word for all of us).
“This is how I’ll remember Hilda Bell Smith. Patient as Job...kind, loving, and impish fun. She bent over backwards to show love and care for everyone, and she had a way of doing pretty much everything that let us really know we were deeply meaningful to her.
-Virginia Westover
Leave a Tribute
Ron
During my years as Program Coordinator at San Francisco Towers I worked frequently with Hilda Bell in the process of photographing all new residents coming to live in the community. She was always a breath of fresh air with her beautiful lilting voice and wonderful smile and I thought she was the perfect person to be organizing photo shoots for newcomers. She must have made them feel so at ease. She was also a great fan of my music and never missed an opportunity to encourage me in my musical pursuits which I deeply appreciated. It was an honor, privilege and delight to have known her and she will be deeply missed. I regret that I was called away from San Francisco and unable to pay my respects to her and her family in person. She will continue to inspire us all from the heavens above. Of that I have no doubt.
Hilda Bell Smith's Obituary
Hilda Bell Smith's Obituary
(written by her daughter, Terry on 7/6/12)
Our beloved mother, Hilda Bell Smith passed away suddenly on July 1, 2012 at the age of 87, with family by her side in San Francisco, California.
Born June 30, 1925, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, she attended Goldsboro High School and the Woman’s College of UNC. She married her beloved childhood sweetheart, J. Andrew Smith, Jr., March 16, 1944. Together they started a family and traveled extensively before settling back in their hometown of Goldsboro in 1969, where she was an integral part of her husband’s Certified Public Accounting Business for 20 years. Prior to that she was in University Administration at the Air Force Academy in Colorado throughout the early 60’s to put money away for her girls’ college fund. Throughout her life, Hilda was primarily and proudly a homemaker, with extensive community involvement, and a gracious hostess.
In August 1995, Hilda moved to San Francisco after much urging by her devoted daughter and family. She was one of the original residents of the San Francisco Towers where she carved out a beautiful life during the past 17 years. Hilda brought her southern hospitality and charm with her and she cultivated many friendships in San Francisco. She always remained a gentle Southern lady.
A profoundly spiritual person, she was always dedicated to her Calvary Church and served as a Deacon for many years. She was a very active member of The Century Club and served in many capacities. Her greatest passion, other than family, friends, children and her community, was flowers and she had many wonderful memories from her time on the Flower Committee at the Towers and her many years in her North Carolina Garden Club.
She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity, her optimism and ever-good attitude, her strength and determination, her delightful sense of humor and her gracious loving presence.
Beloved wife of the late J. Andrew Smith, Jr,; She is survived by her devoted daughter Terry and “son” Scott Gross of San Francisco, and daughter Patricia Lynda Harrison of New Hampshire; Four grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law: Diane and Jason Bundas, Lisa and Nils Erickson, Samual Andrew “Andy” and Jamie Hall, Julie and Jon Hartman; and Five great grandchildren: Ian Bundas, Lars Erickson, Matthias Hall, Shane and Quinn Hartman. She is also survived by a large close-knit family and good friends on both coasts, all of them deeply touched by her life.
A Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, July 11th at 11 am in the Calvary Presbyterian Church at Jackson Street (and Fillmore Street). A Reception will follow at the Church. Valet Parking and shuttle service from the Towers will be provided.
She will be interred next to her beloved husband, July 18th, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
HALSTEAD N. GRAY – CAREW & ENGLISH
(415) 673-3000
GiGi surprises
GiGi delighted in her great-grandchildren (and grandchildren). She collected little surprises for each holiday, and often gave sweet little presents "just because I love you."
She really played with the children - on their level. She enjoyed getting involved with whatever they were doing (or at least commenting if she couldn't physically engage). It was wonderful to watch her around children.