Edith M. Smith, nurse, fashionista, and teacher’s aid, has died at 82

Edith M. Smith, 82, of Philadelphia, nurse, cosmetics representative, teacher’s aid, and volunteer, died Sunday, May 28, of lung cancer at NewCourtland Germantown Home.

Affable and outgoing, ambitious and creative, Ms. Smith was an effective salesperson for Fashion 220 cosmetics and personal care products in the 1970s. She was also an expert in fashion and engaging conversationalist, and she combined those skills to help women articulate how they wanted to present themselves inside and out.

“She could start a conversation with a turnip,” said her son Vash Boddie. “But she was genuine and generally interested in people.”

Ms. Smith sold cosmetics to her clients, offered style tips on the side, and loved showing other fashionistas her prized collection of shoes and hats. Her own presentation, from the pearls around her neck to her pearls of wisdom, was generally flawless and memorable.

“Her ability to put together an outfit was consistently awe-inspiring,” her family said in a tribute.

She mentored other sales reps and won prizes and travel packages from the company for her success. But her real reward, her family said, was the enjoyment of helping other women find their joy. “She helped them become their best,” her family said.

Later, Ms. Smith earned a nursing degree and cared for patients of Wilfreta Baugh, a longtime celebrated doctor in Germantown. Baugh was a competitive floral arranger at the Philadelphia Flower Show for decades, and Ms. Smith became a talented arranger, too.

She displayed beautiful seasonal bouquets in her home nearly year round and gave flowers often as presents to family and friends. She also worked as a private caregiver and finally retired two decades ago after helping children as a nonteaching assistant in Philadelphia schools.

Ms. Smith joined Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1982 and was active in its ministry for years. She also volunteered for a time at a nursing home.

“She did her best to imitate Jesus Christ and was proud to be called a Christian,” her family said. “She spent much of her life helping people learn about the Bible and God’s kingdom.”

Edith Mae Smith was born Dec. 10, 1940, in Clarksville, Va. She and her parents moved to Philadelphia near Temple University when she was 7, and she attended Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School.

The oldest of six children, she left school as a teen in the mid-1950s to help support the family and worked as a waitress in a restaurant on Broad Street. That was the start of her lifelong “circle of love” with her three sisters and two brothers.

“She loved her sisters and spending time with them doing girlie things,” her family said. “She also loved her younger brothers as if they were her own children.”

She met Vashner M. Boddie at the restaurant, and they married in 1960. They had daughter Mikki and son Vash, and lived in Northwest Philadelphia. After a divorce, she had son John Smith. Her former husband died earlier.

Ms. Smith was captivated by cars, especially her white Mustang convertible with the blue interior, and she volunteered often to drive family and friends wherever they needed to go. She went to 76ers games, professional wrestling shows, and roller derby races. She was even good enough to compete in semiprofessional bowling tournaments.

She spent many weekends at the Shore in Wildwood and Rehoboth Beach, Del. She moved to East Mount Airy in 1972, made friends quickly, and helped fellow residents erect a much-needed stop sign.

“She was proud of living in Mount Airy,” her son Vash said, “and she had a love of people.”

In addition to her children and siblings, Ms. Smith is survived by three grandchildren, one great-grandson, and other relatives.

A funeral service is to be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 30, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 6826 Ardleigh St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19119.