HER STORY

The late Mrs. Beatrice Smith Lewis was born in Ben Hill County, Georgia. After graduating in 1968, Mrs. Lewis enrolled at South Georgia State College to study education. Throughout Mrs. Lewis' life, she identified with many roles: a daughter, a sister, devoted mother, wife, grandmother, sister, aunt, basketball coach, mentor, and educator. She was a member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Douglas, Georgia, where she served as lead Sunday School teacher and other roles at church. She was employed with the Coffee County School System for almost twenty years until her health declined. Mrs. Lewis departed her life on October 18, 2006, in Albany, Georgia.

Mrs. Lewis was an impeccable woman whose enthusiasm for life was contagious. She was a beacon of light for touching students' lives and positively impacting those around her. She had an affectatious personality with a demure spirit. She loved her friends, family, and God tremendously. Her sweet demeanor prompted people to love and trust her because she made everyone feel loved. She was considered a servant leader in all aspects of life. She desired to continue educating, empowering and encouraging students and their families while impacting their lives to improve her community.

On January 1, 2021, the Beatrice Smith Lewis Memorial Scholarship Fund (BSLMSF) was established, as an effort to commemorate her legacy by her children and grandchildren. BSLMSF is a fund that primarily awards scholarship funding to deserving, graduating high seniors; to help them with financial resources in their academic pursuits for undergraduate studies by defraying the cost of expenses for college.