B. Smith, Restauranteur And TV Host, Dies ‘Peacefully’ Of Alzheimer’s Disease At 70
Barbara Elaine Smith, known professionally as B. Smith, died Saturday after a long battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Smith’s husband, Dan Gasby, confirmed the news in an emotional message on Facebook and announced that Barbara passed away at the family’s home in Long Island, New York.
“It is with great sadness that my daughter Dana and I announce the passing of my wife, Barbara Elaine Smith,” Gasby began his message. “B. died peacefully Saturday, February 22, 2020, at 10:50 pm, of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease in our home in Long Island, New York. She was 70.”
https://www.facebook.com/dan.gasby/posts/3575437569139205
Gasby continued, “Thank you to all the friends and fans who supported B. and our family during her journey. Thank you to everyone for respecting our privacy during this agonizing time. Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.’s dazzling and unforgettable smile.”
Celebrities, including Ava DuVernay, Al Roker, Tameron Hall and more paid tribute to the one-of-a-kind lifestyle guru on social media.
https://twitter.com/ava/status/1231632980470370304
We lost legendary fashion model, chef, restaurateur, lifestyle icon and magazine publisher, B Smith today. 70 years old, she and her husband, Dan Gasby were at the forefront of #alzheimers #research for people of color. Love to them and daughter, Dana. #bsmithwithstyle pic.twitter.com/pqFOpa9oxs
— Al Roker (@alroker) February 23, 2020
All of these things so true. Thank you B. Smith. https://t.co/Fmi0QJNviu
— Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) February 23, 2020
💔 B. Smith represented style, culture, beauty, and sophistication. She wore so many hats & wore them well! From books and restaurants – to her own home collections and TV show, she was a true renaissance woman who set the stage & standard for so many others to follow! https://t.co/7SbkTtqhHX
— Tenikka Smith Hughes (@TenikkaANjax) February 23, 2020
RIP B. Smith. ❤️ My thoughts & prayers are with her family. B. was special to many people — I’m honored to have spent time with her. B.’s fight with Alzheimer’s was one far too many face, but she approached it with a spirit that made her light shine bright. (IG: thankyoudan) pic.twitter.com/L01V4oS1lj
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) February 23, 2020
Smith began her career in modeling and was the first African-American model to be featured on the cover of Mademoiselle magazine in July 1976.
Smith’s weekly half-hour syndicated show, “B. Smith With Style,” debuted in 1997. She also ran several B. Smith restaurants in New York and Washington, D.C., and penned books on cooking and entertaining, including “B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends” (1995), “B. Smith’s Rituals and Celebrations” (1999), and “B. Smith Cooks Southern Style” (2009).
Smith’s love of restaurant design lead to a line of home goods for Bed, Bath & Beyond in Spring 2001, making it the first line by African-American woman to be sold at a nationwide retailer, according to her website.
Smith revealed to CBS News in 2014 that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease after she noticed she was becoming increasingly forgetful. She told CBS she and her husband were trying to keep a positive outlook, saying, “I’m going to do my best to make it work out for me, and for as many people that I can possibly help, too.”
Smith is survived by her husband and step-daughter Dana.