Paul Lewis Smith, 39, passed away unexpectedly on January 1st, 2020.

Born October 6, 1980 in Vineland, NJ, he was a graduate of Vineland High School and Rutgers University-Camden. He graduated from the latter with both a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a master's degree in Public Administration. A longtime athlete, Paul played basketball at the high school and college levels. During his postgraduate work and immediately after, Paul served at the Senator Walter Rand Institute of Public Affairs at Rutgers University-Camden as a Research Project Coordinator where he worked on projects such as juvenile delinquency prevention and affordable housing. Most recently, he opened his own consulting business, Smith and Smith Development, where he worked on projects like the NJ Health Initiative. He served on, chaired, and worked with committees and boards of non-profits and businesses alike, with the goal of making Camden and South Jersey a thriving community for all. He was an assistant basketball coach for Vineland High School, and a head coach for Camden's Little League.

Personally, Paul loved music, writing, movies and sports. He loved discussing and debating all those topics and others more. Paul's life was his work, and his work was his life, which was a life of service and purpose, with the hopes of making the world a better place for his friends, his family, his community and the disadvantaged. He made sure the truth was spoken, even if it wasn't heard.

Paul is survived by his mother, Deborah Smith, and stepfather, Lamont Townes of Glen Burnie, MD, his father, Bruce Smith Sr, and stepmother, Veda Smith of Glassboro NJ, his paternal grandfather, Paul Smith of Philadelphia, one brother and his sister in law, Bruce A Smith Jr, and Alexandra Guido-Smith of Collingswood, NJ, his sister and her fiancé, Nikki Smith and Devron Carroll of Glen Burnie, MD, His sister Debbie Smith of Glen Burnie, MD, and his sister Kaliymah Aziz of Wilmington, DE, his girlfriend Rajeeya Cook and her daughter Alana Johnson of Philadelphia, PA. He is also survived by nieces Kourtney, Taylor, Addisyn, Charlotte and Olivia and one nephew, Isiah. He leaves behind numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, whom he loved dearly, his best friends Khary, Tom, Nikko, Gensan, and Will, his lifelong friends, John and Howard. There are countless other friends and collaborators all of whom his time spent working and being friends with, he cherished.

He is predeceased by his paternal grandmother, Genell Smith and his maternal grandparents, Clement and Mildred Leslie.

Family and friends may gather on Friday, January 10th from 9:30-11:30 at the New Community Baptist Church, 601 Collings Ave. Collingswood, NJ 08107. Paul's funeral service will begin at 11:30 am at the Church. Following the funeral service, Paul will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery, 2398 NJ Route 70 W. Cherry Hill, NJ.

Parking is limited, please park in the lot on the corner of Richey and Eldridge.