Beverly Ann Smith

1947 - 2017

BEVERLY ANN SMITH Beverly Ann Smith died at her home in Wilmington, NC, on October 15, 2017 at the age of 69. She was born to Ralph and Doris Bender in Hamilton, Ohio on November 3, 1947 but grew up and was educated in Catholic schools in Springfield, Ohio. In 1971 she earned a bachelor's degree in special education at Bowling Green University, Ohio, and subsequently taught in several public schools in Fairfax, Virginia. After a marriage to Jeffrey Tarbert and a focus on raising two children, she continued her professional career by obtaining a master's degree in counseling from George Mason University and a state license as a practical counsellor. She worked in Northern Virginia as a college and high-school level guidance counselor and mental health therapist. In 1991 she entered private practice as a clinical therapist and worked with addicted youth under the auspices of the Psychiatric Institute of America in Manassas, Virginia. In 1993 she was employed by United Methodist Family Services in Alexandria, Virginia to work with court-ordered domestic violence clients. She married Alan Smith in 1992 and lived in Burke, Virginia until retiring and moving with him to Wilmington in 1998. In Wilmington, Beverly relished the process of rehabilitating and redecorating in Victorian style a 100-year-old home on Church Street. She quickly made friends at Grace and Harbor Methodist Churches, the Residents of Old Wilmington, the Cape Fear Sail and Power Squadron, the Cape Fear Garden Club, tennis and pickle ball associations, three local bridge groups and two book clubs. Beverly volunteered for eight years as a Stephen Minister at Grace UMC and for fifteen years at the Vintage Values shop on Castle Street, which raised money for a domestic violence shelter. She cherished time spent at the beach, walking with her beloved dog, Captain Morgan around downtown Wilmington and hosting friends for dinner at home. Beverly had a sure touch with plants, stylish clothing, "experimental" dinner entrees, and the analysis of human personality types. Beverly was predeceased by her brother John but is survived by an extended family including her husband, Alan; her brother David and his wife Shirley in Mesa, Arizona and her sister-in-law Linda Bender in Springfield, Ohio. She'll also be remembered by her son Christopher Tarbert, his wife Brandy, their two children Connor and Cayden; her daughter Sara, Sara's husband Eric Copeland and their children Samuel and Danielle; her stepdaughter Maren Smith and her stepson Evan Smith, his wife Gena and their children Silvia and Lillian. One of Beverly's greatest joys in recent years was having her son and daughter and - especially - four of her grandchildren nearby when they settled in the Wilmington area. A celebration of life will be held at Grace United Methodist Church on Monday November 6th at 11:00 AM with a reception following at the church. A meal will be served at the church after the reception. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Domestic Violence Shelter Services, PO Box 1555, Wilmington, NC 28402. Condolences to the family may be sent to www.andrewsmortuary.com