Susan Smith died peacefully surrounded by her family on Nov. 13, 2018.

She was born on Aug. 28, 1946 to Gilbert and Lacene McGough in St. Louis, Missouri.

She graduated from McClure High in Ferguson, Missouri, and attended Southern Illinois University where she met her future husband, Ronald Smith. She graduated with a degree in education and started teaching in Forest Park, Illinois, while her husband was a dental intern at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital and where her son, Joshua Smith, was born. She then followed her husband to Bermuda where he served as a Naval dentist. While living in Bermuda, her daughter, Sarah Smith, was born. The family spent the next several years moving to different Naval assignments including Maine, Italy, Virginia Beach, and Bethesda, Maryland. Ron’s last assignment at the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station brought the family to Gloucester where Susan fell in love with the natural beauty and wonderful community of neighbors and families. She taught in the Gloucester public school system for 28 years as an elementary school teacher.

In recent years, she was recognized as Retired Educator of the Year by the Gloucester Retired Educators Association. She also served as President and various officer positions for several organizations in the community including Gloucester Retired Educators Association, North River Circle of The King’s Daughters and Sons, the Gamma Nu chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, the Walter Reed Garden Club, and the River Country Quilt Guild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Lacene McGough.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Ronald J. Smith, DDS; children, Joshua R. Smith, MD (Nicole Smith), and Sarah Smith Kelleher (Jim Hall), and grandchildren, Dylan Smith, Keira Smith, Claire Smith, Ryan Hall, and Rory Hall.

Donations in her memory may be made to North River Circle of The King’s Daughters and Sons.

The family will receive friends at Andrews Funeral Home & Crematory, Gloucester, on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, from 2-4 p.m.