Pearlene D. Smith

Pearlene Smith departed this life on July 1, 2020, at home in Temecula, California. She was born on September 25, 1934 in Fauguier County, Virginia, to the late Emmitt and Mary Baltimore. She was one of four, one brother and two sisters. Pearlene attended public school in Loudoun County and soon after met and married George O. Smith and moved to Washington, D.C. She was a member of Cedar Lane Bible Way Church in Purcellville, VA, a Pentecostal Church under Pastor Elder Archer. Pearlene continued her education, graduating from secretarial training school. She and George started their family with the birth of four boys: David, Gregory, Eric and Felix. She enjoyed caring for her boys throughout the years. Later, Pearlene moved to Atlanta, Georgia to start life as a single parent, landing a job as an assistant manager of Learner’s Clothing Store. After many years of work she noticed a pattern of unfairness in the work place toward minorities. This revelation ignited her quest to seek fairness for all. She joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a Civil Rights organization and worked directly for The Rev. Hosea Williams, who was appointed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to join SCLC’s Executive Board. Pearlene was intensely active in seeking social justice for all. After many years of serving as an advocate for the under-represented and to bring attention to social awareness causes, Pearlene hung up her marching boots, but her compassion for helping others continued as she began a career in private nursing care. With her outgoing personality, her infectious smile and her pleasant nature, she was a natural. Throughout the years she received countless letters of praise and recommendation thanking her for the quality of work, care and love for her clients (whom she called her “nursing companions”). Her last assignment before retiring was the caring for a patient directly associated with the Du Poet family. She would often describe the oddity of this assignment was her living in an historic estate that was also a museum of historical exhibits known as the Clifton Estate. The original owner of this property gave refuge to the first freed slave family to live in Maryland. Pearlene retired soon after her assignment ended. She loved people, traveling on cruises, watching live horse racing, going to casinos, driving fast cars, and playing the lottery. She was an outspoken person who could be herself around all … except when she met actor Will Smith. She totally froze up! Pearlene moved to California to be with her youngest son, Felix, and quickly adapted to her new surroundings in Temecula. She enjoyed trips to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Palm Springs and Los Angeles. She is survived by her sons, Eric (VA) and Felix (CA); brother Edward (D.C.); niece Rononda (MD); grandchildren David, Michael and Brian (TX) and great-grandchildren Alexis and Jocelyn (VA) and Tavian (TX), and a host of relatives and friends. Special recognition to her daughter-in-law, Cindy Quach Smith, for her unwavering selflessness, care and kindness … and most importantly her love. In addition to her parents, Pearlene is preceded in death by her husband George, sons David and Gregory, and sisters Bernice Chinn and Margalene Baltimore.