David Smith

A TIME TO BE BORN David Smith was born in 1959, in New York City at Mt Sinai Hospital to Jacob B Smith and the late Arlena B. Smith. David was the youngest of four sons. A TIME TO PLANT David spent the first 5 years of his life residing on E 131st, where he attended PS103. In 1963 David’s parents Sis and Jake, as they were affectionately known, purchased a home in Jamaica Queens that David and his siblings would call home. David attended PS 140 for the remainder of his early school years; from there, he attended I.S. 8 and concluded his education at Flushing High School. The home on 159th Street where David and his siblings were raised was filled with love, that extended to all who entered. With four boys, there was often a rotation of friends, roughhousing, and no shortage of crushes on the neighborhood girls. Structure and family values were at the forefront of how Jake and sis raised their sons, and David loved his family. Like many young people searching for an identity, David’s early years exposed him to various religions and ideologies. As a teen, he embraced the teachings of the five percenters, where he would become known to his friends as Kaymel. Needless to say, in his home, he would always be David. In 1979 David welcomed two beautiful children into the world, daughter Tamina Smith and son Kaymel Fisher. The love in that house on 159th St. quickly expanded to the newest “Grands”, and Tamina and Kaymel were his pride and joy. David had tremendous love and respect for Deidre Simms and Monique Fisher, the mothers of his children. In September of 1985, while working as a bus driver for the NYC bus company David met and would later marry Elenora Gassaway. David became a father to Elenora’s daughter Latoya. In 1988 David and Elenora relocated to Maryland, where David worked for the Baltimore Spice company. During their union, David and Elenora welcomed their second daughter Jazmin Smith who David adored. In 2001 David reconnected with his longtime friend Sharon Jackson with whom he would share a loving relationship until his passing. David maintained a loving relationship with Sharon’s children, Precious, Quasia, Shaunte, Tanika, Taneira, and Malik. A funeral service will be held at noon on Saturday, January 21, 2023 in the funeral home.

David Smith

January 7, 2023