Rita Smith Ashby

A woman of pride was Rita Smith, born on September 24, 1930 in Vistabella South of Trinidad and Tobago. She attended Saint Gabriel R.C. School and continued her education in Sewing classes to become a professional Seamstress. She also worked at the Ministry of Education.

In 1947, Rita relocated to the City of Port-of-Spain, where she met her handsome husband Jeremiah Ashby, and raised their ten beautiful children. In 1976, Rita migrated from her beautiful homeland to the U.S. to pursue her education as a Healthcare Worker and worked as a Geriatric Nurse. Rita lived in Philadelphia, and Brooklyn New York until she retired and relocated to Texas.

Rita loved her social life; Birthdays and Christmas were her favorite time of the year. Rita would soak her fruits for months ahead for her Christmas cake. She made pastelles & ginger beer bread. She had the ponchiah cream, and gave her kids turns to lick the bowl from the cake mix with their fingers. That brought joy to her heart/

Rita began to suffer with her vision, which led her to return to Brooklyn in 2010 to live with her Daughter, Sandra. Our Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother; met her desire to relocate to the Sunshine State of Florida, which reminded her of her beloved country Trinidad and Tobago. She took her last breath in the arms of her Daughter, Sandra, and Friend Koomlee.

Rita will be blissfully remembered in our minds and hearts as a woman of virtue and excellence.

Rita Smith Ashby: Daughter of Edgar and Priscilla Smith (deceased)
Wife of: Jeremiah Ashby (deceased)
Mother of: Michael, Angels, Pamela, Sandra, Shurland, Brian (deceased), Hakim, Yoland, Ricardo, and Selwyn.
Grandmother of: Wendell, Kizzie, Kewin, Jamiyla, Jasmine, Anthony (deceased), and 19 more.
Great-Grandmother of many including: Ashkey, Kezia, and 26 more.
Sister of: Eric (deceased), Leon (deceased), Gerreth (deceased), Lebert, Mona (deceased), Carmen (deceased), and Barbara (deceased)
Mother-in-law of: Raphael (deceased), Joseph (deceased), Winston (deceased), Sally (deceased), Cynthia, Jemma, and Waliyah
Aunt of many and Cousin of the Smith Family.

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