Wanda Smith

On December 31st, 1953, Wanda Michelle Harris was born to her parents Mary Louise Gladden Harris and Joseph Clarence Harris in Buffalo NY. Joseph was transferred to Denver Co where Wanda began her education at age 4 and was proficient in any activity or subject that came her way. After a few years in Denver, Joseph was transferred to Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB). The Harris family settled down in Guadalupe California where Wanda and her siblings were raised. Day one Wanda was always caring, full of laughter, and of plenty love for her family and friends. Wanda attended and graduated from Guadalupe joint union school then attended Ernest Righetti high school and graduated her junior year. Wanda attended Allan Hancock Community College in Santa Maria CA. Wanda married and moved to Arizona. It was there when Wanda and her then husband welcomed Tishika, (Tish), LeShelle. July 17th, 1974. At a young age Wanda made most of her clothes and when she did, she might start with a pattern but most of the time she would design her own clothes that stood out in a creative one-of-a-kind way. All her life Wanda had made clothes for others whether it be for special occasions or just mending or hemming clothing. Wanda was a lover of music, some of her favorite styles were gospel, jazz, and R&B. She appreciated the good energy and song could bring. She still had quite the collection of CD’s, cassettes, and 45’s all organized to a tee. Shortly Wanda and Tish moved back to California’s central coast and preceded to San Diego, CA where Wanda married Travis Tinsley on June 4, 1977. Wanda and Travis welcomed Tiante’ DeShelle Tinsley, April 7, 1979, and from there Wanda and her family moved and resided in a few locations in Texas with her last one being in Tyler, TX. Wanda continued her education on to achieve her BA, MA, and MBA from American Institute Intercontinental in Business Management. As a child Wanda regularly attended church and treated everyone with such love and kindness, which never wavered throughout her life. She LOVED tetherball among other sports. She always showed great support to others. She was a Blue Bird member and loved to dance and sang like an angel. Her favorite color was purple. Wanda was employed full-time as an Insurance Agent in Tyler, TX all while raising her 2 great-grandchildren. Extremely active in the lives of all her grandchildren, you would find her at the school every “Grandfriends Day”, “Bookfair Week”, bouncing around from each child’s room to make sure she gave all of them a piece of Nana’s love. There was never an event big or small that she didn’t acknowledge and participate in. She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph C. Harris, Sr., and Mary L. Harris, and her grandson, Tre’Vion J. Bowens. Wanda leaves to cherish her memory her daughters, Tiante’ Tinsley (Tyler, TX), and Tish Johnson (Tyler,TX), her sons, Gerald Smith, (Dallas, TX) and James L. Tinsley, (Austin, TX), her grandchildren, Tobias, Roman Janiyah, Tahiri, Johnathan, and T’ni. Her great-grandchildren Tristan and Trenton Johnson, her siblings, Mary Alyce Harris, (Goleta, CA), Joseph C. Harris, Jr. (Guadalupe, CA), Theresa L. Harris (San Jose, CA), Beverly Y. Harris, (Guadalupe, CA), and Shevonne C. Harris, (Santa Maria, CA) other relatives, friends & neighbors too great to mention to celebrate her life.

Wanda Smith

December 31, 1953 - February 9, 2023