Celebrating The Life of Bea Smith

Remembering the Life of Bea Smith

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Beatrice "Bea" Rowland Smith, 92, of Chantilly, Va., passed away on October 15, 2022.

 

Bea is survived by her son and daughter, Robert Smith and Laurie Miehm; her grandchildren, Alex, Phillip, and Colleen Miehm, Jeremy and Justin Smith; as well as her great-grandchildren, Madeline Rose, and James MacDuff Miehm and Emory Faris, and many loved nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, the Reverend James Henry Smith; her parents, Sandford Hurt Rowland and Jennie Annie Dalton; her brothers, Elmo, Clide, Aubrey, Roy, and Steuart; and her sister, Beulah.

 

Bea was a graduate of Altavista High School, Averett College - AA, the Women's Missionary Union Training School, Louisville, Ky. - BRE - Religious Education, Virginia Commonwealth University - BS - Elementary Education, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute - MAE - Elementary Education. She also prized her PHT (Putting Hubby Through) from Southeastern Theological Seminary.

 

After her high school graduation, Bea worked at the Lane Company to earn the money to attend college. She was the first in her family to graduate from college. After finishing her education at the WMU Training School, Bea found a job at the New Bridge Baptist Church in Highland Springs, Virginia. There, she met and married James Henry Smith, a student pastor. They were married for 64 years. She and James moved to Durham, N.C. near the Southeastern Theological Seminary so he could continue his religious education. She shared in his ministries at Swan Creek Baptist Church and Little River Baptist Church. While James was pastor at Little River, Bea picked up a job teaching at the Arcola Elementary School in Loudoun County. This led to two of her college degrees and a 25 year teaching career before her retirement in 1985.

 

Those who knew Bea know that she loved to laugh and faced life's many challenges with grace and determination. Her resilience was amazing. When diagnosed with adult-onset muscular dystrophy, she continued to adapt but never complained or slowed down. Her Go Chair took her everywhere she wanted to go, usually to church, to volunteer, or serve others in some way. Bea helped care for her grandchildren when they were young and was always ready to provide the TLC they needed. She will be greatly missed.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held at Ox Hill Baptist Church 12 p.m. Friday, October 21, 2022. A reception will follow for visitation with friends.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those wishing to make memorials consider Ox Hill Baptist Church, 4101 Elmwood Street, Chantilly, VA 20151, Little River Baptist Church, 40385 Braddock Road, Aldie,VA 20105, or The Muscular Dystrophy Association.