Alyse Worthington Reid Smith

Smith—Alyse Worthington Reid Smith, 95, on February 7, 2025, at Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Pa. Alyse was born on June 15, 1929, in Trevose, Pa. The beloved eldest child of artists, Alyse was a smart, hard worker eager to excel. She graduated from Bensalem High and Peirce Business schools in 1947. Alyse met Harry Lamborn Smith at her first job with Standard Pressed Steel in Jenkintown, Pa., and they married shortly thereafter.

Employment outside the home beckoned, so keyboard skills that began with piano, then typewriters, grew into Alyse’s long career with the International Computaprint Corporation in Fort Washington, Pa. Alyse trained and supervised teams to deliver precision, accuracy, and speed in digitizing medical dictionaries, telephone directories, and, eventually, U.S. government patents in the infancy of computer publishing. Imagine waxy paper tape in noisy Flexowriters, enormous computers kept carefully cool, and many pairs of proofreaders.

The spiritual world beckoned as well. After attending Abington (Pa.) Meeting for 11 years, Alyse, Harry, and their children became convinced Friends. Alyse’s membership in Abington Meeting began in December 1969. Light, warmth, and radical inclusion at Quaker meeting offered a spiritual home for Alyse and her family. Activism for peace and social justice followed in the company of a determined group of like-minded Friends who started gathering at Abington Meeting with the name Baker’s Dozen for the 13 participants, but eventually became known as the WasDoz as individuals passed on. Alyse served tirelessly on many committees at Abington Meeting, including Nominating Committee, children’s Religious Education Committee, and as clerk of Funeral Committee. Alyse also served enthusiastically for many years with World Day of Prayer and was the coordinator of the meeting’s participation in that annual event.

At her Brittany Pointe residence, lights on into the wee hours of the morning indicated that Alyse was awake doing her favorite night-owl activities. Often this meant faithful proofreading of The Brittany Pointer. Proofing was a good way to keep her skills sharp, in addition to helping others avoid typos. For those interviewed for a profile upon arrival at Brittany, her loving welcome was apparent and real. She always led with love.

Alyse’s family recalls that “on her first visit to Heaven, Alyse (fortunately) was sent back to us for more love, more laughter, more connection.” She came back from that experience, and began diligently working on whatever the right answer might be. Her family is certain that she found it.

The Abington Meeting community remembers Alyse as a Friend who always greeted others with warmth and a smile, and who seemed to find joy in welcoming newcomers and telling them about Quakerism. Alyse and Harry gave generously of their time, talent, and treasure.

Her family offers a portrait of her in this way: an infallibly bright and gracious light, Alyse welcomed every person with warmth and favor for as long as she was able.

Alyse was predeceased by her husband, Harry Smith, in 2020.

She is survived by three children, Deborah Smith Baker (Mary Ann), Steven Smith (Brenda), and Reid Smith (Bess); six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; one brother, Gale; and one sister, Nancy.