Wilhelmenia Jacqueline Smiling

Wilhelmenia Jacqueline Smiling, daughter of Elizabeth and Nathaniel James, sadly left our world on January 17, 2025 in Burlington, NJ with her loved ones by her side.
Born on August 3, 1933 in Sumter, South Carolina, she grew up up with 10 siblings on the family farm in Rembert, South Carolina. She eventually got married and had eight children. Wilhelmenia lived most of her adult life in New York City. In her later years, she lived in New Jersey with her daughter Teri, but South Carolina would always be her home. And her home was always warm and welcoming to friends and family, and, above all, filled with loving laughter. To her, there was nothing like sitting on the porch in the countryside. She was known by her family as "Mama", but her friends called her "Will". She was a gracious and devoted homemaker while her children were growing up and, thereafter, she worked as a home health aide for several years.
Wilhelmenia always enjoyed visiting with her sisters and spending time with her children. Additionally, she loved to take care of her grandchildren and often hosted them during the summer months at her home in South Carolina. On week nights, she played Bingo or stayed ready for a good game of Pokeno or Tunk. On Sundays, she attended the Catholic Church with Father Smith. After she moved to NJ, she appreciated going to the Senior Center, where she could continue her love for bingo and shopping. In fact, she attended the Center for 13 years with a beaming smile, up until her last days.
As the matriarch of her family, Wilhelmenia was the cornerstone of love and strength. She is survived by her six living children: son, Anthony Smiling and daughters, Deborah Dawson, Gwendolyn Richards, Barbara Ali, Teri Henry, and Stacia Smiling; ten grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; several great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.