Today, we gather to pay tribute to a remarkable woman: a wife, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a classmate, and a friend, Wanda Joyce Collins Smith.
As we reflect on her life, we find inspiration in the words of Jesus, who said from a mountaintop in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Cousin Wanda is the essence of a peacemaker. In the final months of her life, she dedicated herself to bringing the Greene family together for a family reunion. While there were no feuds to resolve, her efforts rekindled the bonds of family and fostered a spirit of unity. Her work resonated far beyond those who attended the reunion, reaching all who saw the photos, watched the videos, or heard the stories of the love, laughter, and joy shared that day.
Despite setbacks and challenges, Cousin Wanda persevered. True to the legacy of a strong Black women, she exemplified resilience, “making a way out of no way”. Together with her devoted husband, Chuck, whose unwavering support played a vital role, Wanda spearheaded the Greene Family Reunion, celebrated under the theme: “Our Roots Run Deep / Better Together.”
“Blessed is the peacemaker, Wanda Joyce Collins Smith: for she ensured that God’s children, the Greene family, came together in unity.” Let us honor her legacy by continuing the tradition of family reunions, ensuring that the foundation she laid endures for generations to come.
In our family, the title “Mana” is a revered honorific bestowed upon matriarchs. Wanda’s beloved mother, Alma Bland Huff, was known as “Mama Tina.” Our Aunt Marie Bland Bradley became “Mana Marie,” and the matriarch of all matriarchs, Lessie Mae Greene Bland, will forever be “Mama Lessie.” These extraordinary women earned this title not merely through age or status but through their boundless love and dedication to peacemaking.
For her lifetime of love, service, and peacemaking—culminating in the success of the Greene Family Reunion this past summer—Wanda Joyce Collins Smith has rightfully earned her place among these matriarchs. She is now, in our hearts, “Mama Wanda.”
Reunited with our ancestors, whom she so diligently honored, Mama Wanda’s legacy lives on in the love and unity she nurtured. We thank you, Mama Wanda, and look forward to our ultimate reunion with you in the “bye and bye.”
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