Barbara P. Smith, President of The Hudson River Community Association of Northwest Yonkers, died on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, New York.
Barbara, the daughter of Theodore H. and Mabel Smith was born on December 16, 1945 in Yonkers.
Barbara attended the Yonkers Public School and graduated from Gorton High School in 1963. After graduation she attended Central State College in Wilberforce, Ohio, The New York School for Social Research in New York City, The Nancy Taylor Business School for a diploma in Secretarial Science, SUNY at Purchase in Mount Vernon and graduated from Mercy College majoring in Behavioral Science with a minor in Elementary Education and MS in Education from The City College of New York.
Her career took on many paths and she excelled in all of them. She was an Executive Secretary and promoted to Secretary of the Treasurer-Secretary of the Corporation at Stein Hall & Company in New York City. Later she worked at the South Yonkers Youth Council as a Secretary to the Director of the Psychedelic Shack Program. After working at the South Yonkers Youth Council she worked in the RAP Tutorial Program teaching math, English, science and history to junior and senior high school students. For two years she went to work at the Leontine L. Pryor Day Care Center as a Teacher in Charge of three year olds. In 1979, just before receiving her MS she worked at the Child Development Center of City College working again with three and five year olds. During her time at City College she helped train teachers to teach in early childhood programs in an open classroom. Her true passion was in 1995 when she started teaching at the Orchard School at Andrus Children’s Home in Yonkers and subsequently was promoted to Assistant Principal. In this capacity she provided instructional leadership to faculty and staff implementing proactive academic and behavioral interventions to enhance student achievement. Because of her dedication she represented the School at a special recognition at the White House during the Bush Administration. Barbara was active in her community as a teenager and throughout her adult life. She became a Board Member of HRCA in 1982 when Julia Smith was president. Later in 90’s after a dormant period in the organization she literally along with her Board brought it back to life and it has been a thriving force and one of the most active civic groups in Yonkers under her direction for the past 25 years. She continued the spring cleanup, encouraged the community to maintain their properties. Held annual dinners to honor individuals and organizations who made a difference in the community and the city of Yonkers. She was instrumental in obtaining computers for graduating high school seniors as well as scholarship funds for seniors attending college. She engaged Yonkers government and the police department to attend monthly meetings to hear the issues of the community. She created partnerships.
She served as Vice-President and Chairman of the Board of NCC in Yonkers from 1984 to 1987 and from 1987 to 1992 she taught candidates who were preparing for the police and fire department exams in the city of Yonkers. Barbara has received many awards in her lifetime for her work in the community and the City of Yonkers. She has made a difference in the lives of everyone she helped.
She is survived by her sisters, Carol Gray, Jayne Hunter (Marshall), her niece Nichole Gray, cousins, goddaughters, and a host of friends. She is predeceased by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Theodore H. Smith, brother-in-law Dr. Arthur Gray Jr. and niece Heather Gray.
Visiting hours will be at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home on Thursday February 16th from 9:30-11am with a funeral service to take place at 11am. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery.
