January 17, 2018
Page 7
Obituary
Our Beautiful Mother
Pearl Smothers
Mashia
A quiet and lovely lady
passed our way. She shined
for many years -- a beacon of
light! There was so much to be
done, so much to learn during
her Christian journey -- family,
friends to cherish. She would
like to say she needed more
than the 94 years she was giv-
en, but she wasn’t one to be
greedy.
Pearl Smothers Mashia was
born Sept. 3, 1923 to parents,
Rosalie Haley Smothers and
Will Henry Smothers in Bains,
West Feliciana Parish, Louisi-
ana. Surrounded by her loving
family, she entered into eternal
rest on Jan. 8, 2017, passing
angelically as she looked up
into the face of God.
Mother Pearl accepted Jesus
Christ as her personal savior
and was baptized at the tender
age of 5. She loved the word of
God and worked diligently in
the church from childhood un-
til God called her home.
In 1965, she relocated her
family from New Orleans to
Portland (7 girls and 3 boys)
and immediately joined New
Hope Missionary Baptist
Church under the pastorate of
Rev. A.A. Newton.
A faithful servant, she was
a member of Usher Board #1,
a Sunday School teacher and
president of the New Hope
Mothers’ Board. She was a
member of the Sermonette’s
singing group and served the
Portland/Vancouver
Gospel
Music Workshop Chapter.
She was a dedicated mem-
ber of the Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority’s Mothers and Patron-
ess Club. She studied the Bible
daily, completing a Bible Study
Fellowship classes twice, al-
ways wanting to grow in the
knowledge of Jesus Christ.
A great seamstress, she
worked at Meier and Frank in
Ladies Alterations, retiring at
age 65. Never one to sit idle,
she began working as “Grand-
ma Pearl” with the Foster
Grandparent Program as a vol-
unteer.
She was an attendance sec-
retary at P.O.I.C.-Rosemary
Anderson High School until
she was 90 years old!
Mother Pearl leaves to cher-
ish her memory, her children;
Pearl Thomas, Donna Harris
(Antonio), Anita Craig (Don-
ovan), Rose Mashia-Jones, AJ
Mashia (Joanie), Lucy Mae
Mashia, Eric Mashia (Magd-
aline), Linda Mashia-Jones,
Ava Mashia and Lance Mashia
(Charlene).
Preceding her in death were
her parents; three brothers,
Henry (Gertrude), Leon and
Charles Smothers; son-in-law
Willie Thomas Sr.; and grand-
son Leonard James Irving Jr.
She leaves to mourn 24
grandchildren, 23 great-grand-
children, 6 great-great children
and a host of nieces, nephews,
relatives and friends.
Home Going services will
be Saturday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m.
at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.
Viewing will be Friday, Jan. 19
from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at
her home church, New Hope
Missionary Baptist.
Katz Public Tribute
Art Museum to
host celebration
of life
Loved ones, colleagues and ad-
mirers of the late Portland Mayor
Vera Katz will have a chance to
celebrate her life on Sunday, Jan.
28, at 2 p.m. at the Portland Art
Museum.
Katz died on Dec. 11 at the
age of 84 due to complications
from leukemia and kidney fail-
ure. Elected in 1972 to the Oregon
legislature, she became the state’s
first woman speaker of the house
and only the second in the nation
to lead a state house of represen-
tatives, serving what was then a
record three terms.
In 1993, she became Portland’s
third woman mayor, leaving office
Vera Katz
in 2005 after three terms. Upon her
retirement from 32 years in public
life, The Washington Post’s David
Broder saluted the “feisty” Katz as
“one of the pioneers and paceset-
ters for the women’s movement,
education reform, health care and
urban planning.”
Because his mother was known
to shy away from pomp and cir-
cumstance, Katz’s son, Jesse Katz,
said the event will be an unpreten-
tious and uplifting tribute.
“Mom always said that the
most important thing to her was
to make a difference,” said Jesse
Katz, a Los Angeles author and
journalist. “Based on the condo-
lences I’ve received these past
few weeks, I can see just how
many lives she touched—how
profoundly she inspired others to
do more and be better.”
In lieu of flowers, the family has
requested that donations in Vera
Katz’s honor be directed to Lan Su
Chinese Garden, or your favorite
local arts organization or public
school foundation.
Boys & Girls Club Advocate Remembered
Club to hold
memorial
service
Family and friends are mourn-
ing the death of Linda K White; a
long time child activist and a re-
tired manager of the Blazers’ Boys
and Girls Club. She died peaceful-
ly at home Jan. 5, 2018 after bat-
tling complications from diabetes.
A memorial service will be
held Friday, Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. at
the Blazers’ Boys and Girls Club;
5250 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr.
Blvd.
In lieu of flowers, donations
may be made to the Blazers Boys
and Girls Club in memory of Lin-
da K. White.
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