Obituary

Joshua William Smith Sr. was born on April 22, 1934, to the late Hazel Bell Smith and Dudley Deshields. God lovingly called him home on January 23, 2024.

Joshua was a product of the Philadelphia Public School System. He accepted the Lord at age 15 and joined Fellowship Bible Church in 1949.

Joining the army in 1957 and received an honorable discharge from service in 1962.

On May 16, 1958, he was United in Holy Matrimony to Joyce Lee Forman. From this union, two children were born, JaDeine and Joshua Jr. They were married for 65 years.

Spending 40 years in sales and distribution, Josh works alongside Bernie Paul, who in the late '50s  founded Associated Hobby Manufactures, Inc. (AHM) located at 621 E Cayuga St., Phila., PA 19120 (A subsidiary of General Hobbies Corp), Note:  B Paul emerges in the hobby business as an industrialist in the US who leads the importation of European-made American prototype HO model railroad products into the American consumer market. 

Preceded Josh in death were his wife Joyce Lee, parents; Hazel and Joseph, two sisters; Geraldine and Terry, brother; Norwood and grandson Jonathan Vann.

He leaves to morn his memory his children JaDeine L.( Stanford), Joshua Jr. (Anila -Somy), sister; Anna DeSheilds, brother; Robert DeSheilds, grandchildren; Nate, Stephen, Gabby, Michael, Spiritual Goddaughter; Rosaline (Roady) Morgan, a host of relatives and friends.

Sorrowfully submitted,

The family

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