Obituary of Phillip Tilman SmithBey

On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Phillip Tilman Smith-Bey Sr.,father, grandfather and friend, transitioned from this life. Phillip Tilman Smith-Bey Sr., affectionately known as “Boudie” was born on March 14,1965 in Elmer, NJ. He was the eleventh child of eleven born to James Smith-Bey, Jr., and Elizabeth “Betty” Newman Smith-Bey. During his years at Bridgeton High School he was a point guard on the Varsity basketball team, member of the choir and cheerleading squad. He enjoyed tossing the cheerleaders in the air. He also enjoyed fishing, cooking, and football and of course he was a die hard San Francisco 49er’s fan. His favorite color was navy. "Boudie" was well liked and very outgoing. There are four things that everyone knew about him: His perfect imitation of you; how much he loved his children; protectiveness of his sisters and family and of course how neat and clean he was. He was a truck driver for T&G and Seabrooks. He delivered everything from concrete to Starbucks Coffee and frozen foods. His real passion though was singing and writing lyrics. He shared with his sister Audrey that his life long dream was to head out west to California. He believed that a change of location would provide a fresh start and advance his singing career. He was known for belting out Robert Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” and on sentimental days “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” from Cooley High. Singing was a part of his DNA and he could never give it up. And so while he kept the day job the music remained in his heart. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents; James Newman and Helen Dixon Newman, paternal grandparents; James Smith-Bey and Rebecca Middleton Smith-Bey; brothers; Morris (Marcy) Smith-Bey, James Smith-Bey, III; nephew, Asmar Smith-Bey. Phillip leaves behind to cherish memories and celebrate his life his mother Betty of Bridgeton, NJ; His children, Caneia Smith-Bey, Justin Smith-Bey of Charlotte, NC; Tillman Smith-Bey of Jacksonville, FL; Tamira Smith-Bey, Kiara Smith-Bey, Darius Thomas all of Bridgeton, NJ; Phillip Smith-Bey, Jr. of Gouldtown, NJ; Marcy Smith-Bey of Atlanta, GA; and Sharon Smith-Bey McCrae of Richland, NJ; Sister-in-law, Mary Middleton Smith-Bey of Mays Landing, NJ; brothers, Reginald Jennings of Piscataway, NJ, Rev. Kenny Smith-Bey of Bridgeton, NJ, Terry Smith-Bey of Williamstown, NJ; sisters, Shirley Bailey of Pittsgrove, NJ, Audrey (Vincent) Pinnock Smith-Bey of Middletown, DE, Jean Smith-Bey Fulks and Sandria Smith-Bey of Williamstown, NJ, Roxanne Smith-Bey of Westville, NJ, and Jacqueline Smith-Bey of Camden, NJ. Eleven grandchildren, nieces, nephews, numerous cousins, The Newman Family, extended family, dear friends and an especial friend, Ms. Rozalyn Spencer of Bridgeton, NJ. Submitted with immense sorrow, The family