Home > United States of America > Virginia > Harrisonburg City > Harrisonburg > Woodbine Cemetery > Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith

Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith

View larger map

Birth	:	22 Oct 1922
Death	:	25 Aug 2015
Burial	:	Woodbine Cemetery, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate	:	38.4480286, -78.8624420
Description	:	Audrey Leake Smith, 92, of Harrisonburg, passed away on Tuesday morning, Aug. 25, 2015. She was born on Oct. 22, 1922, in Harrisonburg and was the oldest of five children and the only daughter of the late Ellis and Keziah Lloyd Leake. Audrey graduated from Harrisonburg High School at the age of 16, and her first job was the secretary to the Harrisonburg city manager; she had worked since young adulthood as a well-respected legal secretary who worked for several attorneys in Harrisonburg. Prior to WWII, she married Victor John Smith. After he shipped off for a five-year stint overseas,... Read More	Audrey Leake Smith, 92, of Harrisonburg, passed away on Tuesday morning, Aug. 25, 2015. She was born on Oct. 22, 1922, in Harrisonburg and was the oldest of five children and the only daughter of the late Ellis and Keziah Lloyd Leake. Audrey graduated from Harrisonburg High School at the age of 16, and her first job was the secretary to the Harrisonburg city manager; she had worked since young adulthood as a well-respected legal secretary who worked for several attorneys in Harrisonburg. Prior to WWII, she married Victor John Smith. After he shipped off for a five-year stint overseas, the couple went through three years in which they never saw one another. Audrey said her faith in God sustained her during those difficult years. While her husband was away fighting overseas during WWII, she purchased their house all on her own. This home is the present "Smith House" (Arts Council of the Valley) on South Main Street, which was physically moved from South Liberty Street to its present location in 2005. Audrey loved James Madison University. Her mother, Keziah, studied there to become a teacher when it was still known as the Virginia State Normal School. She held season tickets to football, men's and women's basketball, plus attended numerous performances and served on many boards and committees there, including the President's Council, Duke Club and Greater Madison. She loved the JMU Marching Royal Dukes and traveled with them on overseas trips to Monaco and Athens, Greece. She also traveled the world with many friends and family members. Audrey was dedicated to many organizations, including First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg, where she taught Sunday school, served as a deacon and one of the church's first female ruling elders in the 1970s, and was clerk of session, and on numerous boards and committees. She was a member of the Democratic Party, a founding member of the Pilot Club of Harrisonburg and served as president and held many regional and state offices, including governor of the Virginia District. Through Pilot, Audrey was involved with Friendship Industries, The ARC and Camp Still Meadows. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron and Spotswood Country Club. In November 2014, she was proud recipient of the Association of Fundraising Association's Spirit of Philanthropy Award on National Philanthropy Day, which honored not just the giving of her time, talents and treasure but the spirit behind it. Audrey was able to go to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., on Memorial Day 2015 to witness a brick-laying ceremony honoring her late husband and had twice visited the Normandy D-Day beaches. She loved the Christmas holidays and hosted many parties for organizations she belonged to and was a friend to all. Audrey managed to cook family dinners every Saturday and Sunday for many years and rarely used a recipe! She always made the favorite meal of her family members on their birthdays. She gave freely of her time, talents and money in many ways. She enjoyed playing in numerous bridge groups. Along with her sons, she established a scholarship at Shenandoah University, which husband Victor attended while it was still located in Dayton. She hosted several college students throughout the years, including a special niece, Edie Douglas Sazama. Audrey was tenacious, smart, spirited, funny, full of energy and zest, and never met a stranger! She was fiercely loyal to her family and friends and courageous in the face of adversity. On Nov. 7, 1940, she married Victor John Smith, who preceded her in death on Nov. 8, 1987. She is survived by her sons, Victor John Smith II and his wife, Cheri, and David Lloyd Smith, all of Harrisonburg; a granddaughter, Jennifer Elizabeth Smith of Harrisonburg; brothers, John G. Leake and his wife, Rosalie, William Thomas Leake and Robert E. Leake, all of Harrisonburg; nephews, John G. Leake Jr. of Louisville, Ky., Joseph K. Leake of Weyers Cave, Daniel Leake and William T. Leake II, both of Harrisonburg; a niece, Anne Leake Turner of Harrisonburg; great-nephew, Ian Draper Frazier of New York, N.Y.; and numerous relatives from the Leake, Lloyd and Smith families. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Charles E. Leake. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, at Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg. Order of the Eastern Star Service will be held at 6 p.m. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg with Dr. John Heeringa officiating. Private burial will be held earlier in the day. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Pilot Club of Harrisonburg, P.O. Box 1748, Harrisonburg, VA 22803, or Friendship Industries, 801 Friendship Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22802, or a charity of one's choice. Daily News-Record Harrisonburg, VA Wednesday, August 26, 2015 ************************************* Friends and family of Audrey Leake Smith remember her for her community involvement, spirited energy and sense of humor. "She laughed all the time," recalled her oldest son, Victor Smith II. "She'd sit down and talk forever to anybody about anything." Audrey Smith died Tuesday morning at the age of 92. She was the wife to the late Victor J. Smith, a mother to sons Victor and David, a sister to four younger brothers and a lasting influence to countless others. She was born in a home built in 1867 - Harrisonburg's fourth-oldest - that was moved from South Liberty Street to South Main Street, near the current Municipal Building, in 2006. Known today as the "Smith House," it is home to the Arts Council of the Valley. A lifelong Harrisonburg resident, Smith worked as a legal secretary for several city attorneys over the years and dedicated herself to numerous area organizations. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star fraternal organization for more than 60 years and was active at First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg, where she taught Sunday school, served as a deacon, a clerk of session and was one of the church's first ruling elders in the 1970s. "She was a lot of things. She was energetic, she did a lot of things for everybody and she was a great mother and a great role model," Victor Smith II, 69, of Harrisonburg, said Thursday. "Her life went off in all different directions." A memorial service for Smith will be held at 11 a.m. today at First Presbyterian Church. A private burial will take place earlier in the day. At First Presbyterian, the Rev. John F. Sloop served as Smith's pastor for 27 years. "She sat in the balcony and never missed a Sunday," said Sloop, 67, of Harrisonburg, who retired in May 2013. "Audrey was the matriarch of her family and her brothers all looked up to her. ... And she just loved her family, loved her community, loved Harrisonburg," he added. Smith was the last surviving charter member of the Pilot Club of Harrisonburg, which she helped found in 1970. The club, a local chapter of Pilot International, focuses on brain-related disorders and injuries. Smith served as president of the chapter, held various regional and state offices, including governor of the Virginia District and was appointed to posts at the international level. Chapter President Pat Haden, who joined the club in 1978, described Smith as one of her best friends. "We just clicked," said Haden, 67, of Harrisonburg. "My mother always called Audrey my other mother." She said Smith was known for her quick wit. Haden recalled a trip they took to Hawaii for an international convention with Pilot Club members. "We sat in the last row of the airplane going over and she said, 'If we had a nickel for every person that used the bathroom, we could've paid for the flight,'" she said. At another international convention in Washington, D.C., Haden said people would tease them about their 5-foot statures. "They used to ask us why Valley girls were so short," she said, "and we told them it was because the sun didn't shine in the Valley." Due to her commitment to organizations such as the Pilot Club and to the community, Smith received the Spirit of Philanthropy award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals in November. Smith also was politically active, leading some to label her as a staunch Democrat. "I think that would be a fair statement," said Councilman Richard Baugh. "It's hard to overstate her support of the Democratic Party." Baugh, 56, who joined the city's Democratic committee in 1992, emphasized Smith's reliability and friendliness. "She was never someone who had a specific leadership role or title with the committee, but she was one of those people you could always count on for whatever event you had," the councilman said. "She was one of those faces you could always count on being there, whether it was a big crowd or small crowd." Those close to Smith also remember her for her devotion to James Madison University sports teams. "She wouldn't miss a game for anything," Victor Smith II said. "She was trying to figure out, as recently as about a week ago ... how to get to the [JMU football] game next weekend." In addition to her two sons, she is survived by a granddaughter, Jennifer, and brothers John, Thomas and Robert Leake. Her parents, husband, and a brother, Charles Leake, preceded her in death. Daily News-Record Harrisonburg, VA Monday, August 31, 2015

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith's memorial?
Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith's memorial is located at: Woodbine Cemetery, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA.
When did Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith death?
Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith death on 25 Aug 2015 in
Where are the coordinates of the Audrey Jeanette Leake Smith's memorial?
Latitude: 38.4480286
Longitude: -78.8624420

Family Members:

Parent

Pvt Ellis William Leake

(1891 - 1975)

Keziah Elizabeth Lloyd Leake

(1900 - 1988)

Spouse

Capt Victor John Smith

(1916 - 1987)

Siblings

Robert Ellis “Bob” Leake

(1926 - 2017)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Woodbine Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4480286, -78.8624420

2. Muhlenberg Lutheran Church Columbarium
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4486130, -78.8649030

3. Beth El Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4499000, -78.8556200

4. Newtown Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4536700, -78.8591100

5. Community Mennonite Church Memory Garden
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4492930, -78.8724070

6. Emmanuel Episcopal Church Columbarium
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4427071, -78.8727493

7. Mabel Memorial Chapel Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4247017, -78.8553009

8. Good Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4169650, -78.8701230

9. Park View Mennonite Church Memory Garden
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4784224, -78.8763494

10. Old Weaver Church Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4486800, -78.9046300

11. Garber-Raish Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4375200, -78.9034800

12. Kennedy Family Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4189800, -78.8851400

13. Thomas Family Cemetery
Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg City, USA
Coordinate: 38.4253360, -78.9023920

14. Naked Creek Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.3075850, -78.9242840

15. Sellers Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.3003006, -78.8855972

16. Summit Church of the Brethren Cemetery
Centerville, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.3271970, -78.9757820

17. Saint Paul Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2998090, -78.8991470

18. Melanchthon Chapel Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2993670, -78.8985820

19. Zane Showker Memorial Gardens
Burketown, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.3027500, -78.9348600

20. Weyers Cave Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2910790, -78.9162570

21. Click Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2849030, -78.9127710

22. Glick Family Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2848990, -78.9127720

23. Landes Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.3013120, -78.9714810

24. Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren Cemetery
Weyers Cave, Augusta County, USA
Coordinate: 38.2785100, -78.9030400