Obituary for Ida Mae Smith (Symms)
Ida Mae Smith, 100 years of age, was born on October 15, 1919 in North Tarrytown, NY (now known as Sleepy Hollow) to William Franklin Symms and Ida Belle Dedmond. She was the 3rd born of their 5 children who included, Franklin, Cornelius, Rosetta and Isabel.
Ida graduated from the North Tarrytown Public Schools in the class of 1938. She later worked at W.L. Morse Elementary School in North Tarrytown where she was the principal’s secretary for nearly 30 years until her retirement in 1985.
In 1939, Ida married Carl H. Adair, Sr and from that union had three children, Carol and twin sons William and Carl Jr. She was later remarried to George F. Smith in 1961 until his death in 1978.
Ida accepted the Lord at an early age and was a very active member in her church, the New Hope Institutional Baptist Church in Tarrytown, NY. There she taught Sunday School, directed the Youth Choir, member of the Usher Board, Church Secretary and many other positions too numerous to name. She later attended the Rehoboth Christian Church, pastored by Rev. Frieda Smith.
She was heavily involved in both local and county organizations including Past Worthy Matron, Order of the Eastern Star, Vice President of Key Women of Westchester, Sleepy Hollow Seniors, Board Member of the Sleepy Hollow Housing Authority, Board of Directors for the Community Opportunity Center of the Tarrytowns, Organizer for the Hudson Valley Blood Service, Director of the Surplus Food Giveaway Program in Tarrytown, NY and a member of the NAACP. Ida truly enjoyed being active in her community and continued until she was 90 years old.
The Village of Sleepy Hollow honored Ida in 2008 upon the completion of a new senior apartment building during a ceremony in the presence of several dignitaries. The building is called the Smith-White Senior Residence, named after Ida Mae Smith and another community leader, Margaret White.
Ida never accepted “no” for an answer and had an answer for everything. She would lovingly encourage young people, no matter whose child it was, to read and to do their absolute best. She did this both in school and outside of school. Ida was an avid reader and vocabulary connoisseur. She certainly was not shy on what she wanted nor how it was to be handled, even up to her 100th birthday! 😊 She was loved and admired by many and was known by some in the community as “Auntie”. Few people were aware that Ida had a hidden talent which was art and she loved to draw. Among all her vast roles within her community, her greatest joy came from spending time with her family.
She was predeceased by her parents, spouse George, all her siblings Franklin, Cornelius, Rosetta and Isabel, whom she lovingly called Izzy, her daughter Carol, her son Carl Jr. and grandsons Patrick and Alexander.
Ida leaves to mourn her passing are her son William of North Carolina; 2 granddaughters: Adrienne Adair-Walker of NY, Stephanie Adair of NY; 8 great-grandsons: Isaiah Walker, Myles Walker, Daniel Adair, Benjamin Adair, Xavier Adair, Elijah Adair, Isaiah Adair and Noah Adair. She also leaves her faithful nieces: Curtarene Pearson, Rev. Frieda Smith and Ideluia Sawyers, all of Virginia, nephew Devon Pearson, and a host of grandnieces and nephews, relatives and friends.
The Entire Staff of Lee's Funeral Home, LLC respects that the family of Ida Mae Smith entrusted the care of their loved one to us, and that they value the level of service & attention our funeral home provides. We are honored, in turn, to provide comfort, assistance and service to the family of Ida Mae Smith during their time of bereavement.
Due to the current conditions in our country and mandated social-distancing, public gatherings are not allowed. So private services have already been held. Please still leave condolences now though, herein on the Memory Wall, to express your sorrow, share your memories, and as an expression of sympathy & way to communicate with/offer comfort to the family, that they and others may see, and may be a lasting tribute in her honor.
As private services have already been held, NO flowers should be sent to the funeral home. In LIEU of flowers, the family appreciates/kindly requests memorial donations be made in her honor/memory/name directly to New Hope Institutional Baptist Church, 80-82 Central Ave., Tarrytown, NY 10591. The Family Thanks You!
Ida graduated from the North Tarrytown Public Schools in the class of 1938. She later worked at W.L. Morse Elementary School in North Tarrytown where she was the principal’s secretary for nearly 30 years until her retirement in 1985.
In 1939, Ida married Carl H. Adair, Sr and from that union had three children, Carol and twin sons William and Carl Jr. She was later remarried to George F. Smith in 1961 until his death in 1978.
Ida accepted the Lord at an early age and was a very active member in her church, the New Hope Institutional Baptist Church in Tarrytown, NY. There she taught Sunday School, directed the Youth Choir, member of the Usher Board, Church Secretary and many other positions too numerous to name. She later attended the Rehoboth Christian Church, pastored by Rev. Frieda Smith.
She was heavily involved in both local and county organizations including Past Worthy Matron, Order of the Eastern Star, Vice President of Key Women of Westchester, Sleepy Hollow Seniors, Board Member of the Sleepy Hollow Housing Authority, Board of Directors for the Community Opportunity Center of the Tarrytowns, Organizer for the Hudson Valley Blood Service, Director of the Surplus Food Giveaway Program in Tarrytown, NY and a member of the NAACP. Ida truly enjoyed being active in her community and continued until she was 90 years old.
The Village of Sleepy Hollow honored Ida in 2008 upon the completion of a new senior apartment building during a ceremony in the presence of several dignitaries. The building is called the Smith-White Senior Residence, named after Ida Mae Smith and another community leader, Margaret White.
Ida never accepted “no” for an answer and had an answer for everything. She would lovingly encourage young people, no matter whose child it was, to read and to do their absolute best. She did this both in school and outside of school. Ida was an avid reader and vocabulary connoisseur. She certainly was not shy on what she wanted nor how it was to be handled, even up to her 100th birthday! 😊 She was loved and admired by many and was known by some in the community as “Auntie”. Few people were aware that Ida had a hidden talent which was art and she loved to draw. Among all her vast roles within her community, her greatest joy came from spending time with her family.
She was predeceased by her parents, spouse George, all her siblings Franklin, Cornelius, Rosetta and Isabel, whom she lovingly called Izzy, her daughter Carol, her son Carl Jr. and grandsons Patrick and Alexander.
Ida leaves to mourn her passing are her son William of North Carolina; 2 granddaughters: Adrienne Adair-Walker of NY, Stephanie Adair of NY; 8 great-grandsons: Isaiah Walker, Myles Walker, Daniel Adair, Benjamin Adair, Xavier Adair, Elijah Adair, Isaiah Adair and Noah Adair. She also leaves her faithful nieces: Curtarene Pearson, Rev. Frieda Smith and Ideluia Sawyers, all of Virginia, nephew Devon Pearson, and a host of grandnieces and nephews, relatives and friends.
The Entire Staff of Lee's Funeral Home, LLC respects that the family of Ida Mae Smith entrusted the care of their loved one to us, and that they value the level of service & attention our funeral home provides. We are honored, in turn, to provide comfort, assistance and service to the family of Ida Mae Smith during their time of bereavement.
Due to the current conditions in our country and mandated social-distancing, public gatherings are not allowed. So private services have already been held. Please still leave condolences now though, herein on the Memory Wall, to express your sorrow, share your memories, and as an expression of sympathy & way to communicate with/offer comfort to the family, that they and others may see, and may be a lasting tribute in her honor.
As private services have already been held, NO flowers should be sent to the funeral home. In LIEU of flowers, the family appreciates/kindly requests memorial donations be made in her honor/memory/name directly to New Hope Institutional Baptist Church, 80-82 Central Ave., Tarrytown, NY 10591. The Family Thanks You!