Obituary of Howard Jude Smith

Celebration of Life

Harold Jude Smith

8 February  1937 – 12 October 2023

Harold Jude Smith, fondly known by friends as “Smitty,” was the second of four children, born to Herbert John Smith Sr. and Helen Hyde Smith in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 8^th 1937. Harold attended Holy Ghost Elementary School and Walter L. Cohen High School. He participated in Track and Field at Cohen including pole vaulting which earned him a full-ride scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Harold joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and became a life-time member. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business at Southern before serving in the Army. Following his service to the United States he moved to Tallahassee, Florida, where he worked in Business at Florida A & M University. There he met and married Sylvia Morris adopted her daughter Dawn Mercedes and his son Harold Jude “Harold Two” Smith was born. Following his divorce Harold moved to Nashville, TN working as a Purchasing Agent at Tennessee State University ultimately retiring from there and opening a salvage shop and vacuum repair. Eventually health issues brought this business to a halt. In 2018 he joined two of his three siblings back home in New Orleans living with his older brother Herbert John Smith Jr. until early 2023. In April of 2023 Harold moved to Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home where he resided until his death on October 12, 2023.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents Herbert John Smith Sr. and Helen Hyde Smith, his ex-wife Sylvia Morris Smith, his son Harold J. Smith II, brother-in-law John T. Scott and sister-in-law Gloria Rhodes Smith. He leaves to mourn: his daughter Dawn Smith; brothers Herbert J. Smith Jr. and Stephen Martin Smith; sister Anna Rita Smith Scott; aunt Shirley Hyde Hawkins; Godchildren Jacinta Hawkins, Karen Brazile Ballard, and Collette Smith Pratt; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Home going services with be Friday the 27^th of October 2023. Services will be held at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 4230 South Broad Street, New Orleans 70125 - 9:30 Rosary and 10:30 funeral mass. Interment, Monday October 30th, Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Cemetery 34888 Grantham Drive, Slidell, Louisiana 70460.

It is requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made in the name Harold J. Smith to the NAACP Nashville: 138 Jefferson Street, Nashville, TN 37208 or naacpnashville.org.