Obituary of Smith, Linda Joyce Young

Linda Joyce Young Smith, 85, passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior on Tuesday morning, November 3, 2020, in Dallas, Texas. She was a native of West Virginia, and long-time resident of Myrtle Beach, SC. She is survived by her son, Jeffery F. Smith (Jo Ann), of Dallas, daughter, Jodi D. Smith, of Washington, DC, and granddaughters, Blakely Joy Scott (Anthony) of Savannah, GA, Karly Grey Anikke Smith, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Tiffany LeAnn Novak (Ryan), Chelsea Krystal Gonzalez and Kayla Renee Gonzalez, all of Dallas, and great-granddaughters Juliet Grace and Charlotte Joy Novak, also of Dallas, as well as niece Jamie Leigh Haden (David) of Wilmington, NC, nephews Pat and Mike Wildt, of Houston, TX and Myrtle Beach, respectively, and cousins John Singleton (Lois) of Richmond, VA, namesake Linda Mullenax and Tom Singleton, both of Elkins. She was preceded in death by her sister, Hilda Jayne Wildt (Jim) of Myrtle Beach (formerly of Charleston), mother, Eulah Grey Bird Young, also of Dunbar, father, James Ernest Young, a coal miner in Widen, Aunt and Uncle, Jo and Russell Bird, and first cousin Vanda Lee Singleton (Joe), all of Elkins, with whom she was close. Linda was born on a farm in Widen, WV and moved to Dunbar at the age of 8, where her mother was a long-time second grade teacher at Dunbar Elementary. She graduated from Dunbar High in 1953, where she was Head Majorette, Kanawha County Majorette, Homecoming Queen and a delegate to Camp Horseshoe, where she met her future husband, Brisben F. (Cap) Smith Jr., delegate from Charleston High/Kanawha City, former Director of Engineering for Union Carbide and later the EPA. She went on to graduate from West Virginia University, where she studied speech and dance at the Master’s level, and had the highest GPA of all freshmen women. While in college, Linda modeled and was the dance troupe choreographer for her sorority there, Delta Gamma. She also won a full scholarship to study dance with Elizabeth Embelton in NYC, and spent several summers as a dance instructor at camps in Michigan and Virginia. Along with her sister Hilda, she was a long-time social worker for the Kanawha County Dept. of Education, where she trekked through the WV hills and hollers to help disadvantaged children from schools around the Kanawha Valley. The sisters moved to Myrtle Beach (Murrells Inlet) together upon retirement. Linda was very creative and loved jazz, entertaining, decorating and flower arranging in particular. She loved nature walks, traveling and cats as well, and cherished time with her granddaughters. Please leave the family condolences and share memories on this website.