inez curry smith
1926-2013
Life Story
Early Life and Family Roots
Inez Curry Smith was born on September 18, 1926, in the Lawrence community of Newton County, Mississippi, to Carlton Curry and Sarah Williams Curry. She was the seventh child born to the couple and grew up in a large family rooted in the rich traditions and close-knit relationships of rural Newton County.
Her childhood was shaped by both joy and loss. Before her birth, the family had experienced the deaths of two infants and the loss of a young son, Eugene Carlton Curry, who died at just two years of age. These early family tragedies were part of the backdrop of life in rural Mississippi, where childhood illness and infant mortality touched many families. Despite these hardships, the Curry household remained strong, anchored by faith, hard work, and family devotion.
The 1930 and 1940 federal censuses place the Curry family in Beat 4 of Newton County, where Carlton farmed and Sarah managed their growing household. Inez was raised alongside her brothers and sisters in a community where neighbors, extended family, and church life were deeply intertwined.
Faith played a central role in her upbringing. At an early age, she was baptized at Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Lawrence, beginning a lifelong commitment to Christian service and spiritual leadership. She attended local schools in Newton County and completed her high school education, an important achievement for a young Black woman growing up in the segregated South.
Jackson State College and a Lasting Love
Determined to continue her education, Inez enrolled at Jackson State College in Jackson, Mississippi. Leaving the rural community of Lawrence for the state capital exposed her to new opportunities and experiences.
While attending college, she met Charles B. Smith. Their courtship was brief but meaningful, and the couple married within two months of meeting. What began as a whirlwind romance developed into a remarkable partnership that lasted fifty-six years until Charles’s death.
Although family responsibilities eventually led her to leave college before completing her degree, education remained one of her highest priorities. Together, she and Charles raised seven children:
- Carolyn Smith
- Marilyn Smith
- Kenneth Smith
- Shirley Smith
- Gwendolyn Berniece Smith Bryant
- Dian Smith
- Sarah Smith
Faith, Family, and the Civil Rights Movement
As a wife and mother, Inez dedicated herself to creating opportunities for her children. She believed strongly in the transformative power of education and worked tirelessly to ensure that each of her children graduated from high school and pursued higher education.
Her commitment to justice extended beyond her family. During the Civil Rights Movement, Inez actively participated in efforts to secure equal rights and voting access for African Americans. She was arrested while participating in a civil rights protest, demonstrating her willingness to stand publicly for the principles she believed in. Her actions reflected both courage and conviction during one of the most significant periods in American history.
Service Through Church and Community
In the early 1950s, Inez united with Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Over the following decades, she became a cornerstone of the congregation.
She served faithfully in numerous ministries, including the church choir, missionary circles, the Mother Board, and as a founding member of the Love and Fellowship Prayer Band. Her wisdom, encouragement, and spiritual leadership touched generations of church members.
Professionally, Inez worked for School Pictures before dedicating much of her career to public service. She later served as Director of the Community Welfare and Health Center, where she continued her lifelong commitment to helping others.
Later Years and Enduring Influence
The later years of Inez’s life brought both blessings and sorrows. She experienced the loss of her beloved husband, Charles, and later mourned the passing of her daughter, Gwendolyn Berniece Bryant, in 2003.
Yet even through these difficult seasons, she remained the heart of an expanding family. Affectionately known as “Big Mama,” she became a source of guidance, strength, and unconditional love to children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family members.
In time, she also became the last surviving child of Carlton and Sarah Curry, carrying with her the memories, stories, and traditions of an entire generation.
Death and Legacy
Inez Curry Smith passed away on December 1, 2013, at the age of eighty-seven.
She was laid to rest at Garden Memorial Park Cemetery in Jackson, Mississippi.
Her life embodied faith, perseverance, service, and love. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, church leader, civil rights participant, and community advocate whose influence extended far beyond her immediate family.
She left behind a remarkable legacy that included twenty-one grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Today, she is remembered not only as the beloved matriarch known as “Big Mama,” but as a woman who dedicated her life to uplifting her family, her church, and her community.
Resting Place
Garden Memorial Park Cemetery, Jackson, Mississippi
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Carlton Curry, accessed via Ancestry.com.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Carlton Curry, accessed via Ancestry.com.
- Mississippi birth records and family records identifying Inez Curry Smith as the daughter of Carlton Eugene Curry and Sarah Williams Curry.
- Mississippi Certificate of Death, Eugene Carlton Curry, October 20, 1918, Newton County, Mississippi.
- Mississippi Certificate of Death, Infant Daughter Curry, August 12, 1913, Newton County, Mississippi.
- Mississippi Certificate of Death, Infant Son Curry, March 22, 1925, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi.
- Family records and obituary of Inez Curry Smith identifying her as a daughter of Carlton and Sarah Curry and documenting her position among the Curry children.
- Jackson State College enrollment records and family records documenting Inez Curry’s attendance at Jackson State College.
- Obituary of Inez Curry Smith, 2013, documenting her marriage to Charles B. Smith and their fifty-six-year union.
- Family records identifying the children of Charles B. Smith and Inez Curry Smith: Carolyn, Marilyn, Kenneth, Shirley, Gwendolyn, Dian, and Sarah.
- Obituary of Inez Curry Smith, documenting her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and arrest during a civil rights protest.
- Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church records and obituary references documenting her membership, service on the Mother Board, participation in missionary ministries, and role as a founding member of the Love and Fellowship Prayer Band.
- Obituary of Inez Curry Smith, documenting her employment with School Pictures and service as Director of the Community Welfare and Health Center.
- Obituary of Gwendolyn Berniece Bryant, Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi), November 6, 2003.
- Family records and obituary of Inez Curry Smith identifying her as the last surviving child of Carlton Eugene Curry and Sarah Williams Curry.
- Inez Curry Smith Obituary, 2013, documenting her death on December 1, 2013, burial at Garden Memorial Park, Jackson, Mississippi, and listing surviving descendants.
- Family records and oral family history identifying Inez Curry Smith by the affectionate family nickname “Big Mama.”
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