Willie Mae Smith was a wife, mother of seven, grandmother, and a devout Christian. A native of Fairfield County, SC, she had also been orphaned as a child and died in 1994, at the age of 63. I came to know her through one of my best friends (her son, Mike) and a basketball teammate during my junior year of high school in 1972-73.
However, it was my senior year of high school where I really got to experience the strength of Ms. Willie Mae’s convictions, grace, and mercy. At the time I was living with an elderly aunt and uncle who had recently relocated to South Carolina upon their retirement in Detroit returning to their roots from the Great Migration. Due to my uncle’s cancer diagnosis, my sister and I took turns leaving Detroit and going south to Spartanburg, SC for extended periods of time to help out. In total for me, it was my junior and senior year of high school.
After my uncle’s death and in the middle of my senior year, my aunt decided to relocate to Greenville, SC to be closer to her family. My high school career had gotten off to a tumultuous start in Detroit, but after summer school I was scheduled to graduate on time (and be the first in our family to do so), having attended nine K-12 schools in two states. Although my aunt offered me the opportunity to relocate with her, I knew if I changed schools again (this late in the school year), graduation might be risky.
Hence, my introduction to a living saint at a time of desperate need. Mike and I first went to his dad to seek permission for me to move into their small three-bedroom home with his parents and five of his siblings, so that I could graduate from high school. His dad felt we needed his mom’s consent. Although she was hospitalized at the time, we went off to Mary Black Hospital to seek her consent. I made my pitch and will never forget her answer without hesitation, “of course you can.”
I have lived my adult life trying to pay forward the blessings of Ms. Willie Mae Smith, and other caring adults, including lifelong mentors and coaches who helped me navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. We formally created the Willie Mae Smith (WMS) Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2008, as a non-profit entity organized under the laws of the State of South Carolina with 100% of the proceeds providing financial assistance to scholars. As of today, we have supported several high needs scholars. Scholarships have ranged in value from $500-$5,000 depending on financial need. With your help, we would like to support more scholars.
WMS scholars have attended a wide range of higher education institutions including Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ; Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC; Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC; Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC; and Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY. Graduates are making public sector contributions in healthcare, education, and human services among others.
Success is rarely a solo journey. Please consider a contribution to the Willie Mae Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations may be sent to Mrs. Nezzie Jeter, President of the Willie Mae Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at 203 Barnstead Ct.,
Piedmont, SC 29673.