Celebrating

Barbara “Robbie” Smith

May 25, 1946 - February 14, 2015

March 7, 2015

________________________________________________________________________________________________

“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in serviceof my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

- Audre Lorde

CelebratingBarbara “Robbie” Smith

March 7, 2015

First Unitarian Church5650 S. Woodlawn Ave.

Chicago, IL____________________________________________________________________________

PROCESSIONAL

Drum Divas

WELCOME

Marguerite GriffinProgram Moderator

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 100Psalm 100Flecia Thomas

“Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”

June Gearon

REMARKS/REFLECTIONS

“A Brave and Startling Truth” by Maya AngelouCrystal J. Johnson

Frances MFrances M. Olayioye & Risi Shepard

Mary King

Paulette Dukes & Onetta Williams

Phoenix Matthews

Marlon Fortineaux

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

“Glory, Glory”

LuLucy Smith

OBITUARY

(Please read silently.)

EULOGY

Reverend Minnie Robinson

Christina Smith

“Throw It Away”

LuLucy Smith

CLOSING

Marguerite Griffin

Barbara “Robbie” Marie Smith

- A Life Well Lived -

When you reflect on Barbara “Robbie” Smith’s life, it is safe to say she enjoyed a life well lived. Whether it was her work as a community activist, an accounting professional, a real estate agent, a friend, a mom, or a wife, Barbara was known for her perseverance, strength, compassion, sense of fun and integrity.

Barbara’s love for and engagement with the world around her spanned throughout her life. She was loved for her generosi-ty, compassion, open heart, and warm spirit. Although, she gave birth to only one daughter, there is a community of women for whom she became an “other mother or grandmother.”

As a community activist and leader, Barbara took an active part in the initiation and growth of important organizations in the LGBT community. She was a founding board member of Affinity Community Services, as well as a founding member of both 40 Plus and Trailblazers within Affinity. She was the former newsletter editor and an organizer of Women of All Colors and Cultures Together. She was also inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2002 as a founding board member with other members of Affinity.

In In recent years, she was increasingly interested in state and national politics. In 2012, she traveled to Wisconsin, where she campaigned for President Obama and Senator Tammy Baldwin. She attended the 50th Anniversary of the March on Wash-ington (DC) in August of 2013, and the March on Springfield (IL) for Marriage Equality in the fall of 2013, where she lob-bied state officials. She participated in countless parades for LGBT equality, including a Bud Billiken Parade and Chicago Pride Parades, most recently with AARP.

For more than twenty years, Barbara worked in accounting and bookkeeping. In addition to working for Fortineaux and As-sociates, she advised nonprofit organizations, including Affinity Community Services and the Chicago Abortion Fund, along with a few private clients, including her family at Flowers Unlimited.

She began a second career in real estate in 2002 and was a member of The National Realtors Association. She worked across many communities as a licensed real estate agent, first with Century 21 and within the Betts Realty Group. Many know someone who enjoyed her excellent representation.

Barbara was an avid animal lover and member of ASPCA, and a photographer who loved to draw, She also loved to travel, and New York was her favorite city. Barbara’s other interests included theatre, mentoring, tutoring, and golfing.

A nA native of Chicago, she was born Barbara Marie Edwards in 1946 to her parents, Ruth M. Edwards and Forrest Pickens. The oldest of three sisters, she grew up largely on Chicago’s south side.

Barbara attended Oakenwald and Doolittle Elementary, graduated from Forestville North. and also attended Hyde Park High School. She later graduated from Harold Washington College where she was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and then continued onto Chicago State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree.

Barbara maBarbara married George Barnell Smith in 1962. From this marriage she gave birth to her daughter Christina Smith. On October 18, 2014, she married her long-time partner Phyllis Johnson. Her survivors include: her wife, Phyllis; her daugh-ter, Christina; her sister, Frances Marian; her nieces and nephews, Tanya, Regina, Ramon, Tahia, and Risi; her great-nieces and nephews, Christopher, Carl, Tiffany, Johnae, Jaquilla, John, Brandonisha, Arianna, Ramon Jr., Kameron, Amara, Khrish-na, Rahshaan, Khalid, Rashid, Kemari, Tatiana, Rashawn Jaymon, Nekiya, Macario, Keyjuan, and Kingston. Robbie was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth M. Edwards and Forrest Pickens; her sister, Daisy Joanne Carr; and her nephews, Chad and Corey Edwards. As one can easily see, Barbara “Robbie” Smith led an extraordinary life of activism, compassion and leadership in action. It has been said that “Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” Barbara demonstrated this leadership throughout her life, and her radical spirit inspired and influenced all who knew her.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forgetwhat you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Maya Angelou

With Gratitude

The Smith and Johnson families are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love,

kindness and consolation during this difficult time.

Thank you for your contribution to this wonderful celebration of Robbie’s life.

We are on a journey of finding comfort and peace with your continued support.

Please consider making a donation in Robbie's memory to Affinity

ComCommunity Services (www.affinty95.org). We want to continue her important

advocacy work and support of senior services.

"I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd

forgive myself if I didn't try."

-Nikki Giovanni