Mrs. Laura Brooks Smith Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

The passing of Mrs. Laura Brooks Smith, age 77, on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at her home, is being announced by her loving and devoted husband, Mr. John N. Smith. Laura Brooks Smith was born October 18, 1944, in Jamesville, North Carolina to Annie Lucille Brooks and Nathaniel Brooks. She attended Union Town Church of Christ and accepted Christ at an early age. Laura began school in the first grade at the age of 5 and was immediately moved into the 2nd grade. In 1961, she graduated Salutatorian from EJ Hayes high school, along with her sister Gloria who was Valedictorian. Laura began her academic pursuits later that year at North Carolina College (now called North Carolina Central University) where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Math) in 1965. During her matriculation at North Carolina College (NCC), she was constantly on the Dean’s List and a member of the Honors Program, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, and Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society. During her sophomore year Laura met the love of her life John N. Smith who was a junior and also majoring in math. During Laura’s senior year at NCC she accepted a position as a programmer trainee at the IBM facility in Poughkeepsie NY and attended programming school. While attending graduate school John also accepted a position with IBM in Poughkeepsie NY. They both relocated to NY and were married on July 3, 1965. After successfully completing the programming school they both transferred to the IBM facility at the Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC January 1, 1966. At the IBM facility at RTP Laura became the first Black female applications programmer. Once they started a family, Laura chose to step away from IBM and work with the NCCU tutorial program and to become a full-time homemaker and mother. The teaching profession would give her more time to spend with her daughters. Once their daughters started school, she began working with the NCCU Academic Skills Center, working with students who had deficiencies in math. Laura was very supportive of her husband while he pursued opportunities at different IBM locations. She had begun to work on her Master of Science in Mathematics when the family moved to Tampa, Florida for one of those opportunities afforded to him. While in Florida, Laura became the first person to complete a master’s degree by distance education at North Carolina Central University in 1983. When they returned to North Carolina in 1984, she became an Adjunct Professor at NCCU. In 1987, Laura stepped down from NCCU to further continue her education. While she was working on the Ph.D. at NC State University, she took a position teaching math at Saint Augustine College in Raleigh NC. Laura earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from North Carolina State University in 1993 at the age of 48; teaching many that it is never too late to pursue your dreams. Once she had completed her Ph.D., she returned to teaching at NCCU, where she remained as a tenured faculty member teaching math until her retirement in 2010. Not only did Laura teach math, but she coordinated the student teaching efforts for math majors who planned to enter the teaching profession. Laura and John had 57 years of fun, adventure, and love together. The marriage produced two daughters, Marchia, and Marjorie, who were the joy and frustration (at times) of her life. She loved her annual sister’s weekends, and spending time with her daughters and granddaughters, and nieces. Her favorite places to travel were the beach to listen to the waves and driving through the mountains to see fall colors with her husband. Laura also loved to give back to the youth in her community and taught her daughters to do the same. From being a Girl Scout leader when her girls were Brownies and Juniors, to tutoring in the community at home and then with IKEMBA Youth Ministry at St. Joseph AME Church, she always made a difference. One of her proudest moments was when she helped start the Women and Math Mentoring Program (WAM) in Durham in 1997. Laura served in several roles at St. Joseph AME Church in her many years as a member until her health started failing. She served in the Sarah Allen Missionary Society, as a member of the Ladies Usher Board, and as an active member of the Lay Organization. Laura leaves behind a loving husband of 57 years, John N. Smith, two daughters, Marchia Jones and Marjorie Brown, JD, a loving and devoted son-in-law Ryan Anthony Brown, MD, three granddaughters: Jasmine Brown, JD, Lauran Jones, and Nia Brown; three devoted sisters, Gloria Ray (Valentine), Selma Alston (Walt), Rowena Sykes (John); five sisters-in-law, Marie Revell, Wilma Perry, Shirley Sherard, Paulette Bryant, and Edna Blue (Dan); and six brothers-in-law, Raymond Smith (Hannah), Ivy Smith, Turner Smith (Ilene), Malcolm Smith (Gwen), Byron Smith (Laurie), Bernard Smith (Yvonne), and a host of caring nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues. We know that as she took her last breath here on earth on August 4, 2022, her next breath was in the presence of GOD, and she is now whole again without pain. A celebration of life service will be held at St. Joseph AME Church, 2521 Fayetteville Street, Durham, North Carolina 27707, on Friday, August 12th; Family Visitation at 11:00 a.m. and Life Celebration Service at 12:00 noon. Please keep her family in your thoughts and in your prayers. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the NCCU Class of 1965 in memory of Laura B. Smith. Please choose Class of 1965 Endowed Scholarship Fund from the Fund list and state in the comment section in memory of Laura B. Smith” https://www.nccu.edu/institutional-advancement/giving-online

Mrs. Laura Brooks Smith

October 18, 1944 - August 4, 2022