Beryl Smith, 83

Meet Beryl Smith, 83

Beryl’s life is one defined by resilience, courage, and an unwavering devotion to family. Born in Sunderland, England, in 1942, she grew up surrounded by music and adventure, later moving with her family to Kent when her father, a chef, took a job with the Cross-Channel Ferries. She married young, and after the loss of her first husband, she found love again with a teacher who encouraged her to pursue her long-held dream of becoming an educator. At 28, she went back to school, completing additional years of study to qualify and ultimately majoring in art.

Before entering the classroom, Beryl forged her own path in a male-dominated field, working as a skipper for a fishing company and running a small shop selling worms and tackle. It was this independent spirit that led her to Canada in 1980, following a visit to Fredericton with her husband’s family. Though it was difficult leaving her close-knit family in England, she embraced the belief that one must “thrive where you are planted.” She built a new life for herself and her children, finding early work with UPS when the company first arrived in Fredericton and staying closely connected to her children, who remain a major source of strength and pride.

Beryl has faced significant challenges, including a cancer diagnosis in 2011 and ongoing health issues, but her determination has never wavered. Through every chapter of her life, Beryl has carried forward the love and lessons of her late mother, whose lifelong dream of flying in a helicopter was never realized.

That dream became the inspiration for Beryl’s own wish. Hoping to honor her mother’s memory, she chose to take to the skies with her best friend Betty by her side, carrying with her a red maple leaf: a symbol of the trips her mum cherished during autumn visits to Canada. As the helicopter soared over places deeply meaningful to their family, including King’s Landing and the Mactaquac Dam, Beryl released the maple leaf out the window, letting it fall over her mother’s favorite area. It was a simple, beautiful act of remembrance that transformed her wish

into a powerful tribute to the woman who shaped so much of her life.

Special Thanks: Ron at Flying 2C Helicopter Tours

Photography: Melissa Levesque Photography