Legendary lifestyle guru, restaurant owner, and groundbreaking model Barbara Elaine Smith has passed away. She was 70 years old.
Popularly known in her professional work as B. Smith, the iconic woman died peacefully at about 10:50 p.m. on Saturday night at the Long island home she shared with her husband, Dan Gasby. Apparently, Smith (pictured above, left, from a segment of her popular late 1990s TV show alongside singer Gladys Knight) had been battling early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease for several years now leading up to her death, which occurred peacefully around family and friends. So sad…
Related: Rapper Pop Smoke Dead After Apparent Home Invasion Robbery Gone Wrong
Gasby made the announcement publicly to kick off all the news about his iconic and much-beloved wife, releasing a statement that read in part (below):
“It is with great sadness that my daughter Dana and I announce the passing of my wife, Barbara Elaine Smith … I thank [the hospice nurses and care givers] who helped us make B. comfortable in her final days. Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.’s dazzling and unforgettable smile.”
Awww… very touching, and very sad.
Born in the Pittsburgh area in 1949, B. began her career in the 1960s as a model who was signed to the influential Wilhelmina modeling agency. In 1976, she ended up becoming the black woman ever featured on the cover of Mademoiselle — a huge achievement at the time, and an act that propelled her to greater and greater heights as a model from there.
Later in her career, the influential woman would go on to open up three popular B. Smith restaurants in New York City, on Long Island, and in Washington, DC. She also landed her own cooking and lifestyle show in 1997, called B. Smith With Style, which really propelled her to more nationwide fame as she continued on as a well-known and particularly influential lifestyle and cooking guru.
Related: Caroline Flack’s Cause Of Death Revealed As Fam Releases Statement
She had initially been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease way back in 2013, and had been valiantly fighting and battling with the disease for years now. She had been married to Dan — her second marriage — since 1992, as well, even taking his daughter from a previous relationship under her wing, becoming a step mother to the girl.
We can’t even imagine the pain her family, friends, and loved ones are going through right now. Rest in Peace to a true icon who changed the lifestyle and cooking niches in her own unique, lovely way… sad stuff.
[Image via YouTube]