Barbara W. Smith, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, citizen, and attorney, died Saturday, Dec. 14, at the age of 89.
She was born on July 11, 1930, in Chicago, to Harold and Alta Williams. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1952, and began a career in journalism at the local paper. She joined the Unitarian Church in Urbana where she met William (Bill) Smith at the Unitarian student club. They were married in January of 1956. Twins, Byron and Warren, were born in 1957. A daughter, Vivian, followed in 1961. When the children got older, Barb worked for Dr. Shaheen at RPS 205 and then at the Board of Education Office before beginning law school at Kent School of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology, earning her law degree in 1979.