Celebration of Pauline Smith's 87th Birthday and Unveiling of the Pauline Smith Scholarship Foundation

Pauline Bolden-Smith, daughter of the late Deacon Dave
Bolden, Sr., and Otis Lee Bolden (both deceased), was born in Carbondale, West
Virginia as the third of five children. 
She attended grammar school, graduating from Simmons High School.  In her sophomore year, she was nominated to
compete as “Miss Simmons High”.  She
achieved her goal and was crown against 3 contestants and was crowned at the
school’s homecoming football game.  As
“Miss Simmons High”, she acted as a spokesperson for the school and represented
it at various functions in the Charleston area throughout that year.


Upon graduation, she married her high school
sweetheart, Richard Smith who was famous in the area as a three-year, All State
Football Champion.  Richard was known as
“Firecracker Smith” and the couple married on January 31, 1946.  Their marriage was blessed with five
children, Shirlaine (deceased in 1971, Anne, Yvonne, Delores and Richard
Jr.  The couple has 9 grandchildren
(Sherron-deceased) and 17 great-grandchildren and their union lasted for 65
years until Mr. Smith passed in March, 2012.

Mrs. Smith’s great love, concern and compassion is
helping the elderly and the youth.  She
raised 5 additional children who needed homes: Patricia, Paul, Henry, Tony (deceased)
and Steven and provides financial support to children in Kenya. 

Pauline grew up in the church and it is the root of
her life and philosophy.  She was
baptized at the age of 12 as a member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in
Carbondale, West Virginia.  She attended


Sunday School and was active in many church youth programs and became President
of the Senior Choir there.

Shirlaine was born with a congenital heart defect and
the family made a decision to relocate to New Jersey and the Deborah Heart
& Lung Center to seek better medical knowledge for her condition. 

The family lived in Asbury Park for a short time, then
moved to Red Bank where Pauline became an employee of The Riverview Medical
Center.  After requisite course-work, the
previous stay-at-home mother became a nurses aid.  This gave her first hand knowledge of
hospital operations which she leveraged to seek quality care for
Shirlaine.  Medical expenses led her to
work at the River Crest Nursing Home in Red Bank, and the job which many in the
Red Bank area remember, as the “Avon Lady”. 


Mrs. Smith worked as a Avon representative from 1953 through 1985.  She received many awards, gifts, trips,
etc.   In 1977, The Avon Corporation
recognized her as the Highest Salesperson in the Nation.  She was honored and, in typical Avon fashion,
showered with gifts.  She was offered a
Sales Manager position in Richmond, VA which she turned down due to her
husband’s employment and because of her ties to family and friends in the Red
Bank area.   Her children know that her
work as the Avon Lady was much more than a job. 
It was a gateway into the lives and needs of the community.  She used the Avon platform and conversations
with her clients to become aware of the needs of town residents.  She would often return home or would solicit help
for families in need of food, clothing, or other household expenses.

Mrs. Smith has been an active member of the Pilgrim
Baptist Church since October, 1953.  When
she joined, Rev. Henry L. Morgan was the pastor.  The Church was known as ‘Little Pilgrim’ and
was located on Pearl Street in downtown, Red Bank.

Mrs. Smith has served at the Lunch Break in Red Bank
and cheerfully contributes from their own pantry shelves to help those in
need.   She dreamed of being a missionary and lived
her dream throughout the greater Red Bank area. 
She can be seen visiting area hospitals, nursing homes and the homes of
the elderly and shut in.  At
Christmas-time, she led a celebration for the 230 patients of the Avante
Nursing Home providing refreshments and gifts (often donated by Avon). 

In addition to service in the church, Mrs. Smith is
active in community organizations.  She
is a member and Past Worthy Matron of Martha Chapter #37, O.E.S.-P.H.A.;
chairperson of the State Queen Pageant, Oziel Grand Chapter, O.E.S.-P.H.A.; Trustee
of the White Ridge Cemetery Association; Past General Chairperson, Chaplain and
member of the Monmouth County Cotillion Committee, Inc., Past Daughter Ruler of
the Phyllis Wheatley Temple #276, I.B.P.O.E. of W.; Assistant Chaplain of the
Mary Hightower District Council; Chaplain and member of the New Jersey State
Gospel Choir; member of Church Women United; a Field Worker for the Sea Coast
Missionary Baptist Association; and a member of the NAACP of Red Bank.  She was honored to receive The Central Jersey
Club of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s
Clubs, Inc., highest award bestowed in 2000, the Sojourner Truth Award, and was
the recipient of the Louise C. Hughes Silver Bowl Award for Outstanding Service
from the New Jersey State Association of the I.B.P.O.E. of W. Women’s Auxiliaries.