Sharlene Mae Smith, 84, of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 10 at Transitions Hospice in Raleigh.  Sharlene was born February 26, 1935 in Bristow, Nebraska to the late Joseph and Agnes Bohac.  She was also preceded in death by her son, Mark Christian Smith, who passed away in June 2015.  Sharlene is survived by her husband, Walter Daniel Smith, daughter Robyn Carrell Mangrum (Rick Scott Mangrum), and grandchildren Christian Scott Mangrum and Reed Daniel Mangrum.

Sharlene was the youngest of five children, having three older brothers and one sister.  At age nine, her father passed away and she and her mother relocated to live with her sister and small son in a row house in Washington, DC while her sister's husband was overseas fighting in WWII.  Sharlene was raised by her mother and older sister and after graduating from Eastern High School in DC, she worked as an executive secretary for the Ma Bell phone company and was the first person to use an electric typewriter while employed there.  Sharlene worked for Ma Bell through her twenties, when at age 27 she met her future husband, Walter Smith.  After a whirlwind romance of less than a year they were married on March 3, 1962 and remained together for the next 57 years.

When Sharlene was 32 years old she and Walter adopted a son, Mark, and at 34 adopted their daughter, Robyn.  During their lives together they made many moves from Maryland, to New Jersey, to Houston and finally settling in Cary, NC in 1981, where they have stayed. While living in Houston, Sharlene was very active in the Nassau Bay Tennis League.   During her fifties and sixties, Walter and Sharlene traveled immensely, having visited every state in the United States (except Hawaii).  They toured all through Canada and Mexico and both shared a passion for road trips.  But they also enjoyed a cruise through Alaska.  Sharlene fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and went several times throughout her life.

Sharlene was very passionate with her music and hence her love affair with Barbara Streisand.  She had every single song Streisand ever sang, saw every movie and interview she did and saw her live in concert in California and NYC.  Her other hobbies included feeding and watching birds.  She knew hundreds of birds by name, was an avid bird watcher and never missed a day feeding them at all of her homes.  Her other favorite activity was to spoil her two grandsons when they visited.

Three words sum up the life of Sharlene—She Loved Dearly

A service of remembrance will be held Saturday, July 27 at 2:00 PM at Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27603, with Sister Anne Heath officiating.  The family will receive visitors immediately following the service.  In lieu of flowers, family and friends may donate to the SPCA of Wake County.