Vera Starycki Smith’s soul left this earth unexpectedly on April 13, 2019, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on September 25, 1935, Vera was a lifelong resident of Hillsborough, a graduate of Hillsborough Elementary Schools and Somerville High School. She married the love of her life, Harry Smith, in the summer of 1955. Her favorite job was working for “Miss Duke” (Doris Duke) as her bookkeeper and secretary in the Coach Barn office on the Duke Estate. The thing that made Vera the happiest was when she could be helping or caring for someone who needed and appreciated her help. She always felt that was what she was put on earth to do.
Vera’s volunteering knew no bounds: Girl Scout Leader, Neshanic Reformed Church Women’s Guild, Deacon, Consistory Member, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Teacher, PTA member, Hillsborough Rotary Club Rotary Ann and member of the Hillsborough Garden Club. She was the 23rd person and 3rd woman to receive the coveted Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1991 from the Hillsborough Rotary Club. Vera lived the Rotary International motto, “Service Above Self”.
Vera’s many activities included tennis, working in the yard, mowing the lawn, reading, cooking, driving everywhere and anywhere, attending the sports games of her children and grandchildren, spending time at the shore, the beach and the lake, taking boat rides, traveling and, last but not least, entertaining.
Vera was predeceased by her parents John and Eleanor Starycki, brother John Starycki Jr. and two loving sisters, Geraldine Starycki Urbanski and Patricia Starycki Painter, who she cared for right up to their departure. She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Harry; her two children, Cyndi Smith Coury (Mike) of Millington, TN and Randy Smith (Diane) of Hillsborough; grandchildren, Justin, Jason, Jarret and Jordan Smith; great-grandson Charlie and many friends and family. She is greatly missed.
Susan Orlean, author of “The Library Book”, quoted Amadou Hampate Ba who said, “In Africa, when an old person dies, it is like a library has burned.” Orlean went on to say “Our minds and souls contain volumes inscribed by our experiences and emotions; each individual’s consciousness is a collection of memories we’ve cataloged and stored inside us, a private library of a life lived. It is something that no one else can entirely share; it burns down and disappears when we die. But if you can take something from your internal collection and share it – with one person or with the larger world, on the page or in a story told – it takes on a life of its own.”
At 1:30 pm on Saturday, June 8, 2019, the family invites you to attend Vera’s Memorial Service. The Celebration of Life party will begin immediately following the service. It will be a time to share your memories, stories about Vera and the stories Vera shared with you about her life. The event will be held in “The Barn”, located at the family home in Hillsborough, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN to help support their ground breaking cancer research.
Vera’s volunteering knew no bounds: Girl Scout Leader, Neshanic Reformed Church Women’s Guild, Deacon, Consistory Member, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Teacher, PTA member, Hillsborough Rotary Club Rotary Ann and member of the Hillsborough Garden Club. She was the 23rd person and 3rd woman to receive the coveted Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1991 from the Hillsborough Rotary Club. Vera lived the Rotary International motto, “Service Above Self”.
Vera’s many activities included tennis, working in the yard, mowing the lawn, reading, cooking, driving everywhere and anywhere, attending the sports games of her children and grandchildren, spending time at the shore, the beach and the lake, taking boat rides, traveling and, last but not least, entertaining.
Vera was predeceased by her parents John and Eleanor Starycki, brother John Starycki Jr. and two loving sisters, Geraldine Starycki Urbanski and Patricia Starycki Painter, who she cared for right up to their departure. She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Harry; her two children, Cyndi Smith Coury (Mike) of Millington, TN and Randy Smith (Diane) of Hillsborough; grandchildren, Justin, Jason, Jarret and Jordan Smith; great-grandson Charlie and many friends and family. She is greatly missed.
Susan Orlean, author of “The Library Book”, quoted Amadou Hampate Ba who said, “In Africa, when an old person dies, it is like a library has burned.” Orlean went on to say “Our minds and souls contain volumes inscribed by our experiences and emotions; each individual’s consciousness is a collection of memories we’ve cataloged and stored inside us, a private library of a life lived. It is something that no one else can entirely share; it burns down and disappears when we die. But if you can take something from your internal collection and share it – with one person or with the larger world, on the page or in a story told – it takes on a life of its own.”
At 1:30 pm on Saturday, June 8, 2019, the family invites you to attend Vera’s Memorial Service. The Celebration of Life party will begin immediately following the service. It will be a time to share your memories, stories about Vera and the stories Vera shared with you about her life. The event will be held in “The Barn”, located at the family home in Hillsborough, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN to help support their ground breaking cancer research.
