Lawonda Smallwood

Aug. 20, 1971 - May 13, 2008
ELKHART - Lawonda Smallwood, 36, of Hyattsville, MD, was called home to rest on Tuesday, May 13, of a broken heart. She was born to Bernell Williams and Geneva N. Smallwood on August 20, 1971, in Elkhart, Indiana. In 1979 Lawonda and parents moved to South Bend where she was reared for several years. In 1985 Lawonda and her mother settled in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, where she called home. Lawonda was employed with Sun Trust Bank of Washington, D.C.; however, she had ambitions of a career change to become a registered nurse and had completed a year of her studies at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), so that she could help care for her mother who, unfortunately, passed away 19 months and one day prior to Lawonda. Lawonda was a loving mother, a cherished daughter, an outspoken niece and a favored cousin. As an adult, Lawonda professed her faith in Christ and was a born-again Seventh-day Adventist and attended the Hyattsville Seventh-day Adventist Church. Preceding Lawonda in death were her beloved mother, Geneva N. Smallwood; her maternal grandparents, James B. Sr. and Geneva L. Smallwood; four aunts, Nancy Smallwood, Kay Joyner, Doretta A. Smallwood I and Virginia K. Dalton; five uncles, David A., James B. Jr., Ricky N. Sr., Harry D. and Gary Smallwood; her paternal grandparents, George and Rosie Mae (Hills) Williams Jr.; two aunts, Lori A. Smiley and Rosetta Cummins; and an uncle, Roosevelt Williams. Lawonda is survived by her husband, Jude C. Iweanogne of Washington, D.C.; her father, Bernell Williams of Los Angeles, CA; two loving sons, Marcel O. Waites and Amechi Smallwood; lifelong friend and father to her oldest son, Ronald Waites; a half sister, Catonya Hillsman; a half brother, Reggie Bryant; five maternal aunts, Mary L. Smallwood, Emma M. Smallwood, Deborah (Tommy) Dye, all of Milwaukee, WI, and Sarah Smallwood and Sandra (Larry Sr.) Jones, both of South Bend; a maternal uncle, Howard Smallwood of Indianapolis, IN; four paternal aunts, Rosie Mathis, Barbara G. William, Josephine Salls and Leenetric Brown, all of Elkhart; and two paternal uncles, Willie F. Williams of Chicago, IL, and Don D. Williams of Elkhart, IN; and a host of cousins and friends. Services for Lawonda Smallwood will be held at noon Thursday, May 22, in the Clark-O'Neal Funeral Home, located at 2702 Lincoln Way West, South Bend, where friends may call one hour prior to services. Burial to follow at Highland Cemetery. The Clark-O'Neal Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.