Ms. Rita Smith-Johnson age 89 of Pensacola, FL (formerly of Campbellton, FL) passed away Tuesday September 14th at West Florida Covenant Hospice in Pensacola, FL with her loving family by her side.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, September 25th at the Shira Sr. and Chelcie McKinnie Memorial Chapel located 5304 Bowden Hill Campbellton, FL with Reverend’s Earnestine Daniels and Evan Gray officiating, with McKinnie Funeral Home of Campbellton, FL directing.
A public viewing will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, 24th at the Shi’ra Sr. and Chelcie McKinnie Memorial Chapel.
Rita Smith-Johnson was born to Walter L. Smith, Sr., and Rosa Bell McKinnie on March 10, 1932, in Jackson County, Florida. At approximately three years old, she moved to Far Rockaway, NY and was raised by her aunt, Henrietta Davies.
She was an exceptional child. She was educated in New York City Public Schools System. At the age of nine, she was tested and had an IQ of 168. She obtained her associate’s degree in Psychology from Chipola College and was one semester shy of obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Troy State University.
She was the loving mother of four children.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Walter Smith Sr., Rosa Bell Olds, and Marcellus “Bud” Olds; daughter: Sharon “Wendy” Hill; son: Charles Stephan Hill; son-in-law: Howard Gomes; grandson: Erik Tiante Johnson; husband: Leroy Johnson; brothers: Andrew Smith, Raymond Olds, Marcellus Olds, Richard Olds, and Bruce Olds; sisters: Petrola Cockerel, Ivory Barkley, Mary Alice Richardson, Mary Lois Hill, Blanche Bowden, Maggie Lee and Pearline Olds; brothers-in-law: Johnnie Richardson, M.C. McCarter and George Lee.
Rita leaves to cherish her memory, two daughters: Deborah Renee Gomes of Shalimar, FL and Paula Bess Moses (Charles) of Pensacola, FL; three sisters: Lola B. Collins, Lillie Mae McCarter and Mildred Beckett; one brother: Dr. Walter L. Smith Jr.; brothers-in-law: Benjamin Bowden and Sylvester Hill; sister-in-law: Mary Williams; two godchildren: Kevin Richardson (Consuelo) and Schenequa Dyer (Larry) and host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
