Kendra Mercedes Smith, affectionately known as Muffy, was born on April 5, 1981, in Washington, D.C., to Deborah Evans-Bailey and Derrick Smith, Sr.

Kendra was educated in the D.C. Public Schools, and graduated with honors from Banneker Academic High School, while her insatiable thirst for knowledge, led to the completion of her Bachelor of Arts, in Communications, with a minor in Business, also with honors, from Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2003.  She recently fulfilled her lifelong desire to travel abroad by going to Rome, Italy, where she studied Economics and Finance, in the International Studies program.

Kendra was a Christian, and steadfast in the Lord as she was spiritually reared, under the tutelage of the Greater Saint John Church, her family and growing further at, Zion Church.  Her uncanny desire to love her fellow man as Christ loved us, led to her integral involvement in several civic, political and community based organizations.  She was the President of Temple Universities Communications Society, a Representing Delegate for the NAACP, Outreach Assistant, for the Philadelphia City Council, Intern at WPHI Radio, and a Concierge at the Hyatt Regency, in downtown Philly.  She was a familiar face around the N.E. Performing Arts Group, Representative for the Board of Directors of College Bound, the Give and Take Business Network, the National Association of Female Executive Owners, and most recently, the Committee to Elect Mia Hairston-Hamilton.

At the age of fourteen, finally being eligible to work for the Mayors Summer Youth Program, she refused to accept the blind alley positions opened to youth and exercising the ambition, she was known for, she searched the Yellow Pages, for a job.  She informed all that she was only 14, but that she had a work permit in hand, thus landing a position, that planted the seeds of business acumen, ethics and organization which, allowed her to identify, what she wanted to do with her life.

Her crowning achievement, shared by her family and Walter Watson, was the birth of their beautiful Zaelyn Amore.

Left with many fond and cherished memories are; her daughter Zaelyn Amore Watson, her special friend Walter Watson, her parents Deborah Evans-Bailey and Derrick Smith Sr., her sisters; Courtney Evans, Nicole and Dershawn Smith, her brothers; Justin and Derrick Smith Jr., her grandparents; Lorraine Clyburn, Frederick Bland, Edward Freeman, Pearl Huskins and Norman Smith Sr., her Great Grandmother; Alma Jordan, 14 Aunts, 12 Uncles, 10 Great Aunts, 8 Great Uncles and a multitude of cousins and friends.

“Say not in grief: She is no more,’ But Live in Thankfulness that She was”

The Family

The Legacy of Kendra Mercedes Smith

When my time has run out and the well has run dry

When my body has grown tired in the event of my demise

When I’ve climbed many mountains, whether I’ve reached the top or not

When I’ve established my namesake and you can never say you forgot

When I’ve seen the unseen and uncovered the unknown

When I’ve fulfilled God’s promises so I may kneel at his throne

When I’ve given all of you my love and taught whom I could teach

When my spirit communes with Jesus and I’m no longer in your reach

Remember my ingenuity I’ve tried hard to display

Remember my creativity and the work I put in everyday

Remember my silly ways, how I could make you laugh even with a broken heart

Remember the individual time spent, and how we’ve hit it off from the start 

Remember the mistakes I’ve made, and how I always tried to make things right

Remember those fun times, when we partied throughout the night

Remember what I’ve stood for, and the injustices I’ve endured

Remember the bridges were never burned, and what I’ve been able to procure

Remember the hugs & kisses I gave you the times when you were up or down

Remember when I was your shoulder to cry on when no one else was around

Remember my femininity and my strength to carry on

Remember the music I loved including my favorite songs

Please don’t cry over me for I’m in a better place

A place where true love and peace is never out of date

The Lord has given me assurance that Zaelyn will be alright

And blankets of love will continue to envelop my baby throughout the nights

Hopefully, reminiscing, and knowing these things will make you laugh or make you smile

Give you some comfort and some peace

And help you realize that time is always worthwhile…

September 8, 2004

Written By,

Jennifer Schumpert