Cheryl Smith

Cheryl Denise Smith was born on Thursday, August 2nd, 1962, the 4th child born to the late James T. and Carolyn A. Randolph Smith at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. 

Cheryl grew up in the North Michigan Park neighborhood of Northeast DC. At a young age she accepted Christ and became a member of Greater St. Paul Baptist Church in Washington, DC. She was a member of Greater St. Paul's Young Christianeer youth group, acting in

Christian plays, and attending Vacation Bible School. Cheryl was educated in the

Washington, DC public school system and graduated from William McKinley Technical High School in 1980. There she managed the men's football and baseball teams and was First Runner-Up for McKinley's Queen Of The Courts her Senior year. Even before graduating, she

started working at System Planning Corporation in Rosslyn, Virginia, and after graduation she was hired into a full-time position. She worked there until 1987 as a Document Control Specialist. Eventually, she worked in the Collateral Security Office, processing documents for classified use. Cheryl advanced her career in the "black program" at RAMCOR in Hanover, MD working as a Document Control Officer. She held the highest level of security clearance. She also worked for Credit Bureau Reports Incorporated as a Data Processor from April 1990 - January 1991. She processed credit reports for the FBI on-site at the FBI building in downtown Washington.

After years passed with no contact, Cheryl's childhood next-door neighbor, Jimmy Gabourel, searched for her and the two reconnected in June 1985. Six

months later they were married on December 31st, 1985. They settled in Hyattsville, MD. To their 27 year union, Cheryl carried three children. One, "Brittney," died in miscarriage in 1987. But in 1988, son Jaymes Tyran, her "Rainbow Baby" was born; and in 1992, daughter Avanti Nikeia, her "Angel Girl" was born. They were the joys of her life! She loved them fiercely and was an extremely involved parent. She later became a stay-at-home mom and raised her children, occasionally working as a substitute teacher at Lewisdale Elementary School (Prince George's County). She was a remarkable, nurturing mama  Lion and advocate for her children. As they grew older, Cheryl would attend many musical concerts, and see tons of movies with her son Jay. She enjoyed shopping, vacationing, and going for rides with her

daughter Vanti, where often the two of them would love to sing songs together.

Cheryl and Jimmy's marriage ended in divorce, but they remained cordial and referred to one another as Elaine and Jerry from "Seinfeld." Cheryl relocated to Martinsburg, West Virginia a decade ago, where she lived until her untimely death on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023

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