Athelia Pauline (Overton) Johnson

Life’s Reflection’s

Of

Athelia Pauline Overton Smith-Johnson

Athelia Pauline Overton was born February 16, 1919 in Kansas City, Kansas to Nilene Opal Dewey and Samuel Overton.  Raised in Argentine, Kansas, she was educated in Kansas City, Kansas at Douglas Elementary School, and Northeast Junior High School, the historically Black Wyandotte County Junior high designed and built for Black students only.  In 1936 she graduated from Sumner High School, then attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

Athelia came to know, love, and dedicate herself to Christ as a child at Second Baptist Church, in Argentine, Kansas.  As an adult, by Christian Experience, she transferred her membership to First Baptist church, Kansas City, Kansas, under the leadership of Rev. E.A. Freeman, PHD.  She served diligently as a Trustee at First Baptist until the decline of her health required her to do otherwise.  At 97, Athelia is its second oldest living member. 

Athelia married Frank R. Smith, Sr.   Three children were born to this union; Frank R. Smith, Jr., Nilene Diane Smith (Fitzpatrick) and Wilburn James Smith (Billy/Gatsby).

Athelia worked in a variety of capacities.  Following graduation from beauty school, she kept customers, friends and family elegantly coiffed at “Athie’s Beauty Bar.”  She was an assembly worker at the Fairfax Bomber Plant, a meat packer at Armour Meat Company, and a Will Call teller at both Macy’s and Adlers Department Stores, in Kansas City, Missouri.  Her favorite place of employment, however, was as an accountant at Panhandle Eastern, a pipeline company covering Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Athelia often hosted Black entertainer’s performing at the Orchid Room or Blue Room in Kansas City, Missouri like Bill Doggett (“Hold It,” “Honky Tonk,” and “Night Train”), Earl Grant (“Ebb Tide”) and the tap dancing Nicholas Brothers, in her home.  Her social calendar was always full ~ juggling club meetings and social events wither Petite Moderne Club members and playing golf with other Black golf club members of the Heart of America Golf Club in Kansas City Missouri.  Avid Kansas City Chiefs fans, she and her late husband, Richard Johnson were long-time season ticket holders, and cheered the Chief’s on together until his demise in 1982.

Athelia was civic minded: In 2008, she changed her long standing party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and proudly voted for the first African American President, Barack Obama, November 4, 2008.  She served as a Third Ward Precinct Committee Woman and Poll Worker for Wyandotte county innumerable years, and was instrumental in the sign “Turtle Hill” being constructed and placed at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Everett Avenue.  Like her Mother, Nilene Pierce, before her, Athelia, helped to provide a voice at the State and Federal level for the State of Kansas older community, representing Wyandotte county as a Silver Haired Legislator.  For over 25 years, she volunteered tirelessly with the blood bank, a division of Wyandotte County American Red Cross.

Left to mourn are her children, Frank R. Smith, Jr.; Nilene Diane Smith Fitzpatrick; and Wilburn Smith; 3 grandsons, Frank Smith, III; David and Christopher Fitzpatrick; granddaughter, Elnore Smith (Retta); 5 great grandchildren, Alexandra; Jacob; Oliva; Madelyn; and Tori Fitzpatrick; a sister, Dolores Elliott; 2 nieces, Tanya Elliott-Parker; and Aundria Elliott-Snell; a nephew, Wesley Elliott; and host of family and friends.

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