Sheilah Smith

Sheilah Renee Smith passed away in her home in Kansas City, KS, on July 22, 2025. She was surrounded by family, friends, and a lot of love.

She was born June 13, 1959, in Kansas City, KS, to Clarence Smith Sr and Artena Smith. Sheilah lived in Kansas City, KS, all of her life. She was raised in the Old Quindaro area. She attended Allen Chapel as a child and as an adult. She attended Vernon Elementary, Northwest Middle, Wyandotte, and  Schlage High Schools. She received her GED in 1976 from what was then known as AVTS.

During her years of employment, she worked at Bethany Hospital and worked for 20 years at General Motors on the assembly line. When she retired in 2021, she was working as a caretaker for mentally challenged patients.

Sheilah was a devoted sibling, Mother, and friend. She was very loving, loyal, and always willing to offer advice. Her granddaughter, Lexi, once said, “She always knew just what to say". She loved to laugh and did so loudly and often. She loved reading, Shopping, playing dominoes and watching various movies, Soap operas, and Westerns.

Sheilah was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Smith Sr. and Artena Sherman-Williams. Her siblings, Vicki D. Smith, Karen, and Terry Smith; her favorite nephew,  Adrian Williams; and longtime friend Rod Henning.

She is survived by her son, Ben  Stephens Sr. of Parkville, MO, and daughter Michele Franklin of Kansas City, KS; her brother, Clarence (Debbie) Smith of Seattle, WA;  Jackie (Gregory) Jarrett of Olathe, KS, and Paula Smith of Harbor City, California; her grandchildren, Alexis Stephens, Ben Stephens Jr., Tyler Franklin, Ja’Niya Eatman, Mikyah Eatman, Isabelle Stephens; great-grandson, Zaire Franklin; Childhood friends, Tracy Kimbrough and Tanya Stokes; a host of nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends.

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