Published - Las Vegas Review Journal

ANITA SMITH Anita Smith, 83, a three-year resident of Henderson, passed away March 27, 2009.

Erma Anita Dash was born Nov. 30, 1925, in Harlem, N.Y., to Alexander Dash and Lillian Allsopp Dash.

The Dash's immigrated from Barbados, British West Indies. Most people affectionately called Anita "Ma." Anita was a graduate of Wadleigh High School in New York City.

She married Thomas C. Smith and was blessed with five children, Thomas, Diane, Sharon, Richard and Carl.

Anita's career spanned decades, holding various positions from the East Coast, where her employment included but was not limited to Con Edison and Merrill Lynch. She relocated to Northern California in 1970 and retired 22 years ago from her administrative position at the Oak Knoll Naval Medical Center, Surgery Center in Oakland, Calif. Anita was highly skilled and respected in her position and within three years she was appointed as the medical center's liaison representative for the Naval Employees Association headquartered at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, Calif.

Anita was a sports fanatic, cooking aficionado, music lover, avid competitive bowler, obsessive reader, crossword puzzler and a two-time cancer survivor!

She lived life to its fullest, always loved a party and had a memory like a steel trap.

Anita was preceded in death by her parents; three sons; and her brother, Lewis Dash.

She leaves behind her daughters, Sharon Cookie Jones of Henderson (son-in-law, Irv Culpepper) and Diane Rodriguez of Bronx, N.Y. (son-in-law, Carmelo Eddie Rodriguez); sister, Una Hanley of Long Island, N.Y.; grandchildren, Gina Lamore (grandson-in-law, Patrick Lamore), James Scott Whitaker, Yolanda Kirby, Conan Mauro, Myiako Smith; great-grandchildren, Javon and Jason Thompson, Whitney and Jade Whitaker, Patrice Thompson; great-great-grandchild, Tatyana Thompson; lifelong friends, Ferolyn Angell of Minnesota, Dorothea Cartwright and Rose Vu of California, Veda Williams of New York, and Mary Edmonds and J.J. Jordan of Nevada; and a host of relatives and friends who will truly miss her.

There will be a family celebration of life event to be held in New York. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations, in Anita's name, be sent to Odyssey-Harbor House Hospice, 4011-A McLeod Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121.