Celebrating and sharing a legacy of love on Mother’s Day 19th March, 2023….”Let there be Love”. Thank you Mrs Marina Smith for showing us the way. Thank you Smith family for enabling us to do so in so many ways.
21
Mar
Mar
Your memory is a blessing. With love and deepest gratitude always… Read the rest
Today on Mothers Day, I am joining with friends globally to especially remember Mrs Smith, whom to so many of us and to me, was a considered our Mother.
I continue to endeavour to live my life according to the guidance, faith, encouragement, standards and care you set for us and the unwavering, unquestioning love you showed every single person you met.
In honour of you today, dear Mother, I raise my (almost) Royal Albert cup and thank you.
With love, Susanna … Read the rest
It was such a delight to share tea together using the tea set that Marina so generously gave to us and reminds us so much of being at Bethany. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for such love and faithfulness – may we always live true to these words and the example she set.
May her sons, Stephen and James, and her entire family always be kept safe and blessed in every way.… Read the rest
20
Mar
Mar
Celebrating Mother’s Day 2023 and remembering your love to us. Always in our hearts 💕 
… Read the rest
19
Mar
Mar
It has been 9 months since you went to Our Father in Heaven But you are always in my thoughts. Here we are today, 19 March 2023 celebrating Mother’s Day with all your spiritual children and friends around the World, sharing love. You are a Blessing in my life. Well, definitely we have to use our best china ware for our tea and cakes or coffee and cakes, the Royal Albert, of course. Thank you Marina for helping us to share and love… Read the rest
10
Sep
Sep
My dear Mrs Smith,
Thank you for everything. Words cannot express it – your generosity, your love and care, your deep understanding. You welcomed me into your home, treating me like your own child. You brought me to my faith and through that taught and equipped me for life. And what an example you set us – through your faith, which guided you in everything, your principles, your integrity, your work ethics, your righteousness, and all of it with real joy and praise. With you everything had meaning and purpose, no wasted words, no wasted moments.… Read the rest
15
Aug
Aug
Just wanted to send my thoughts to the whole Smith family, especially Mr Smith today on what would have been your 58th wedding anniversary.
Love Never Fails… Read the rest
28
Jun
Jun
I miss my mother deeply but remember every day she was driven by her Christian principles, embraced the concept in Judaism of Tikkun Olam (repairing a broken world) and embodied the Rwandan values of Ubumuntu: Humanity and Greatness of Heart. Her belief shone in her life and acts.
For the:
stranger, you shared your home
lonely you shared your heart
vulnerable you opened your wings
downtrodden you sought justice
You can’t choose your parents, but I’d always have chosen you. We only say farewell dearest Mother, for your values and legacy, live on.… Read the rest
27
Jun
Jun
We are not very good at dying, and yet, it is the one thing in our lives that we are all certain to do sometime. It is one of the great acts of living – some die in valor, some in pain, some young, others old – and my mother has been preparing for it every day of her life.
As I write this I am sitting at my mother’s bedside listening to her breathe. It’s just the two of us and the night. There are wires and machines hooked up to her. On occasion, nurses barge in a flurry of light and needles.… Read the rest
Like many others no doubt, I have fond memories of sitting in the cottage next to the National Holocaust Centre, that was home to Marina and Eddie, and enjoying such warm and generous hospitality.
There was a strong sense of being at home, it just felt familiar; just as you would be having a cup of tea and a chat with your grandparents.
Above all, I recall Marina’s curiosity to get to know her guests; she was single-mindedly interested to hear from them; their experiences, reflections and motivations.… Read the rest
My Dear Marina,
There are no words or actions that can ever convey my love and gratitude for all that you have given to me and my family.
The love and life we experienced together will never fail to inspire, encourage and challenge as we continue in our walk with our Heavenly Father.
Stephen, James and families thank you, as you were always part of this gift.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
… Read the rest
I loved you all my life and what is earth’s loss is Heaven’s gain.
Love you lots and will miss you always. Jill
Marina. Mother, Teacher, Friend.
Big sparkly blue eyes so expressive, laughter spontaneous & joyful, kindness so overwhelming. A heart Steadfast & True. Genuine with a deep personal integrity. Compassionate & practical in her caring, Counting the Cost but doing it anyway. Lavish in giving. She was Faithful & she was Full of Faith, & around her the Fragrance of Jesus.
This quote by Elisabeth Elliot will always remind me of Marina Smith:
This job has been given me to do.… Read the rest
I first met Marina in 2006. Between 2006 and around 2018, I was treated to a number of wonderful lunches/teas at Marina and Eddie’s house accompanied by long conversations. Nothing was ever too much trouble, Tara and I loved receiving cards and e-cards celebrating festivals every year as well as the family updates. In February 2020, we arranged a trip to the Centre from my synagogue for the boys being Bar Mitzvah’d in the year ahead and even though not in the best of health that week, she made a huge effort to come to the Centre to meet the boys and impart some of her wisdom to them which they listened to, hanging on her every word.… Read the rest
16
Jul
Jul
Marina had the most magical way of making you feel like you were enormously loved, appreciated and truly one of her dearest friends. From the moment you stepped over the threshold of ‘Bethany Cottage ‘ you felt like you’d arrived home! I’ll never forget arranging a trip up to visit Marina that happened to be Mothers Day. So for the first time in my life having only ever done so for my gorgeous Mum, it felt totally right to bring with me a Mothers Day card and flowers for Marina. As I stepped into Marina and Eddies beautiful living room it was immediately obvious the place already had a magnificent floral display and what must have been 100+ cards strung from wall to wall crisscrossing the room.… Read the rest
Marina left the most wonderful living legacy in Stephen and James.
She left the world a better place and her beliefs about how one should live and have been enshrined in the institution that she helped to create, and in which her memory will live on. She was a Mensch.
Our heartfelt condolences to you, Stephen and James, and to your families.
With our love and admiration,
Gaby & David Glassman… Read the rest
Marina was without doubt the epitome of humanity and compassion. Our family were recipients of her love and innate kindness. Our parents, Joe and Laura Carver, appreciated Marina’s healing words and uplifting advice. They held her in great esteem and we, their three daughters felt the same.
Marina generated joy and warmheartedness and seemed instinctively to know the right thing to say and the right thing to do.
She was always supportive of others. When our dad passed away, Marina was so kind to our mum and made calls to check up on her and wrote her beautiful letters, and when we lost mum, she showed concern for us even though she was poorly herself.… Read the rest
I lack words to convey the magnitude of the pain I am feeling when I heard about Mama Marina’s passing away. She just left a big void….as if I knew her since I was born; but the legacy of faith, commitment and love for the Lord she gave me is far greater than the void of her departure from this world.
The wise and powerful pieces of advice and words of consolation Mama Marina always give to me and my family when she sends me emails have sparked a flame in my heart that will never, never, never be put out.… Read the rest
07
Jul
Jul
On behalf of USC Shoah Foundation’s Board of Councilors, I’m writing to express our deepest sympathy on the loss of your dear mother, Marina Smith.
Marina was an educator, a storyteller and an archivist of memory. She devoted her life to building understanding and empathy between different communities of people. The stories and memories that comprise the tapestry of her life include you and your children, and are a gift for future generations to come. Even your family home became a place for children to connect with history through the story of Leo and his journey.… Read the rest
I first met Marina and her family through Abbey Street Methodist Church in Dublin, Eire. We also attended the same Wesley Methodist College.
Marina visited our home many times and always came up the stairs to say goodnight to me, tuck me in and talk a while. Her words to me stuck with me “Joan, you’re a nice girl, you wouldn’t lead a boy ‘up the garden path’ would you. Marina was only 4 years older than me and I was about 14 at the time.
I think maybe Mum and Dad had mentioned the many boys who took me out!… Read the rest
Dear Stephen and James
You are forever in my thoughts.
With much love
Kitty
Words fail me! I am distraught at the loss of Marina- forever in my heart!
Kitty Hart-Moxon… Read the rest
Posted by Chris Walker – A Remarkable Lady,
This is a very brief thank you to Mrs Smith for giving me a fantastic purpose filled life, rich in meaning, a rare exquisite gift beyond value. Thank you, Mr Smith, Stephen and James, thank you for sharing you wife and mother, with us all.
My mother was a depressive and was helped by Mrs Smith, Methodist’s wife in the Ashbourne circuit. Forty five years later towards the end of Mum’s life, I remember them sat together, Mrs Smith holding Mum’s hand.… Read the rest
Yom Ha Shoah (around 2012)
In the run up to the event, Mrs Smith had written and issued the invitations (despite being ‘retired’ for roughly 7 years already) and acted as the coordinator with the Holocaust Centre for the Survivors and their families.
Every invitation email/letter she had sent, to over 100 people and their families, had been answered by someone saying they could, or couldn’t come. They had shared their latest news, asked for news on Aegis, James, Stephen, the grandchildren, asked for help.… Read the rest
Writing a concise tribute, having had the privilege to know Mrs Smith all my life, was always going to be a tall order. I’ve written, deleted, and edited many times; however, had it not been for Mrs Smith, I wouldn’t be writing this tribute. When I entered Woodlands school (Mrs Smiths school), my English was beyond pathetic. Mrs Smith coached me through the 11 plus, not only helping me to pass it; she went on to organise private tutoring to help me get through GCSE English in my teens.
… Read the rest