Obituary of Bernice Elizabeth Smith-White

Mrs. Bernice Elizabeth Smith-White, age 96, of Baltimore, transitioned Saturday, October 24, 2020 in Baltimore. Mrs. Smith-White was born February 27, 1924 in Baltimore, MD. She was an Administrator with the Social Security Administration. A public viewing for Mrs. Smith-White will be held Saturday, October 31,2020 from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Services, 8728 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD (21133) The Celebration of Life Service for Mrs. Smith-White will be held Sunday, November 1, 2020 in the Chapel of Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Services, 8728 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD (21133), where the family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. with services to follow. The interment will take place at Arbutus Memorial Park Monday, November 2, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Life Reflections Today we honor and celebrate the life of Bernice Elizabeth Smith White. The only child of the late Oscar Smith and Georgia Bell Smith was born February 27, 1924 in Baltimore, MD. She peacefully transitioned on Saturday, October 24, 2020. She was educated in the Baltimore City Public Schools and graduated from Douglas High School, Class of 1941. She received her B.S. Degree in Education from Coppin State College, formerly known as Coppin Teacher's College. Upon graduation from Coppin, she married George Alfred White and had two daughters, Myra White-Gray and Marlene White Baskerville. George passed away in January 2010, thus ending their 65+ years of marriage. Initially, Bernice taught in the Baltimore School System for about 12 years. She later left the school system to embark on a career to prove that women could succeed in other fields. Discrimination was rampant because of her race and sex, but she managed to be a pioneer in many areas in spite of this. She eventually became known as a community worker, civic leader, and a leader in the struggle for equal rights for women. As the first Director of Community Education and Relations of the Baltimore City Community Relation Commission, she worked tirelessly to bring her organization's message to Maryland. She interpreted the City's civil rights law for the public via radio, television, movies, print media, workshops, and conferences. This experience led to her appointment as the first woman Insurance Compliance Specialist for the Social Security Administration. In this position, she traveled across the country monitoring affirmative action programs of government Medicare contractors to ensure equality of opportunity for minorities and women. In July, 1969, she was appointed one of the only three full-time National Directors of the Federal Women's Program which was established under Executive Order of the President. In October, 1972, she was promoted to the position of Community Relations Officer for Social Security Administration - again another first. Due to the growth of activities in this area, a Community Relations Staff was created and she was named Chief of the Headquarters Coordination and Liaison Staff, Office of Governmental Affairs. She retired from the Social Security Administration in May, 1984. She found that, although it is difficult, a woman can succeed in this so-called "man's world." It was out of this that she created the title for her weekly column in the Baltimore Afro American, "It's Not A Man's World." She gained national recognition because of this column and the wealth of information it contained. She was guest columnist from 1969 - 1974. Bernice found time to be very active in voter registration and voter education programs and in many aspects of the political life of the Baltimore community. Through her affiliation with Woman Power, she worked with women to make them more politically aware and informed on current issues. In January 1995, the Honorable Kurt L. Schmoke, Mayor of the City of Baltimore, appointed her as the First African-American Chairperson for the Baltimore City Commission for Women. In her spare time, she was the Founder of clubs such as the Cardigans, Herbert M. Frisby Historical Society, and Les Grande Dames. She was also quite musical. Playing piano and organ and directing choirs at Fulton Baptist Church where she acquired her religious education. These skills followed her when the family later transferred membership to the Trinity Presbyterian Church. She was a member of Trinity for approximately 60+ years. Further, she served as Chairperson of the President's Committee for the Morgan State University Choir, Member and President, of the For-Win-Ash Garden Club, Faithful Member of the Alpha Zeta Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and served as Maryland State Director, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., July 1992 – July 1996 and was a Member of the Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter, National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Bernice truly loved her family. She was very supportive and proud of all their accomplishments. There were always parties and celebrations acknowledging birthdays, graduations, promotions and other achievements. She also loved traveling, especially cruises. She leaves to cherish her memory, 2 devoted and loving daughters, Myra White-Gray (Odyssey Gray), Marlene White Baskerville, 3 grandchildren, Marla Baskerville Watkins, (Orlando Watkins), James J. Baskerville, II, (Tracy) and Modyssey L. Gray, (Craig Bushnell), 2 great-grandsons, Austin and Maxwell Watkins, 3 nieces Virginia White Scott, Estalena Cole Thompson, and Sarah Lawrence, one nephew, Carl E. Lawrence, one maternal first cousin, Norwood Lee Wilkerson, a devoted cousin from Ohio with whom she spoke with every Saturday, Yvonne Kirby, and a host of relatives and friends.