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Barbara Smith Obituary
October 6, 1941 - April 6, 2025
Colfax, North Carolina - Barbara Ann Proctor Smith passed away Sunday, April 6, 2025, surrounded by family after battling colon cancer. Barbara was a joyous and loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend. She was born October 6, 1941, to Jim and Addria Proctor in Henderson, NC. Barbara graduated from Duke University with highest honors in 1963, taught history at Garinger HS in Charlotte, then returned to Durham in 1965 to work as a resident advisor at Duke. Barbara soon met Robert E. "Bob" Smith, a fellow Duke alum with whom she enjoyed a wonderful 58-year marriage until his passing in October 2024.
While raising their children, Barbara volunteered in church lay leadership and with school PTAs until joining Bob's law firm as office & finance manager in the mid-1980s. They worked side-by-side for almost 20 years until she retired to focus on painting. Barbara was honored to join the Cary Gallery of Artists, and treasured her participation in Circle 7 at Highland UMC and the choirs at both Highland and Hayes Barton UMC.
In 2020, Barbara and Bob moved to River Landing in the Triad. They made wonderful friends and enjoyed active lives, singing in the River Landing chorus and in the choir at Christ UMC in Greensboro.
Those who knew Barbara will remember her creativity and intelligence; her love of reading and art; and her delight in small wonders.
Barbara leaves behind her children, Jay Smith (wife Holly Hollman) of Falls Church, VA and Kathleen Smith of Greensboro, NC; and two adored grandsons: Hollman Smith and Jameson Smith. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law Maurice Capps and Charles Michael Smith (Barbara); nephew Gil Capps (Julie); and niece Addria Capps. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Bob; and her sister, Addria Proctor Capps.
A celebration of life service will be held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church in Raleigh, NC at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025, followed by a reception at the Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to ArtSpace (artspacenc.org) and Sound Rivers (soundrivers.org).
Full obituary can be found at brownwynneraleigh.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Brown-Wynne Funeral Home & Crematory300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh, NC 27605
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