Shirley Smith

Kernersville -
Ms. Shirley White McIver Smith, 81, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at her residence. Born in Washington, D.C. to Joseph Douglas White, Sr. and Geneva Strothers White, Shirley was the second of eight children born to this union.

Earliest education began in the public schools in Washington, D.C. but was completed in Greensboro, N.C. She attended many technical schools to fulfill the broad range of desires and calling in her life. The nursing career that she began in 1954 was not completed until 1968. Along the way she has attended Winston-Salem State University and Greensboro College to extend her desire for knowledge. In 2000 she attended Salem College to study sociology.

She retired from Bowman Gray School of Medicine as a research nurse in 1996. Her restlessness forced her back into education to fulfill a hidden passion and desire to become a trained lawyer, so she enrolled in Salem Collgege in 1999.

Her life has been one of service to her family, community, and church. She has served within the United Methodist Church as a lay Local Pastor on the Madison Circuit for eight years, was a Certified Candidate for the Ordained Ministry in the Western North Carolina Conference.
Working with the local Head-Start Program as an advocate for parents and children was one of her greatest joys. Another thing that made her heart glad was to work with the W.S.S.U. Grandparents Program. Both allowed her to apply her lifelong learning skills to help others. When challenged, the question remains: "What can or did we learn from this?". Because we are in each moment of life to learn or teach.

In addition to her parents, family members who have preceded her in death and await with that Great Cloud of Witnesses are her husband, Herbert E. Smith, Jr.; daughter, Sylvia McIver; three brothers, Isaac White, John White, and Reginald White, Sr.; one sister, Sylvia White; grandmother, Cora Strothers; and two aunts, Arthurene Foxx and Dorothy Ford.

To cherish her memory are "Children of her womb", Marquie Moser (Donald), Susan Smith, and Donald Opie (Deborah); nine grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; one brother, Joseph Douglas White, Jr. (Dora); and a host of nieces and nephews.

"Child of her Heart", Vernette Searcy, of Winston-Salem; Sisters of her Heart, Cambra C. White, of Chicago, Ill., Dorothy White of Greensboro, N.C., and Madison Marline Taylor, of Kernersville, N.C.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Kevin Bugg, Daphne McFadden, Anne Brown, Collette Kinzer, Curissa Townsend, Lavette McKeever, Danny McIver, and Sayde Joyner-Milton.

A funeral service for Ms. Smith will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday, August 28, 2017 at Greater Church, 5095 Lansing Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27105, with Bishop Sheldon McCarter officiating. The family will have a short visitation from 12:30 pm until 1:00 pm prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Greater Church in Shirley's memory. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com. Hayworth-Miller Kernersville Chapel is assisting the family.

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