A Life Well Lived, Beautifully Organized, and Impeccably Dressed
Zanita Gertrude Smith Buchanan, known as Zan to nearly everyone who loved her (which is to say, nearly everyone who met her), was called to rest on September 8, 2026, at the age of 65. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 30, 1961, and she spent the next six and a half decades proving that a person could be devout, disciplined, hilarious, and fashionable all at once, and make it look like the easiest thing in the world.
She was, quite simply, unforgettable. Those of us left behind would like to tell you why.
1961Born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 30
InksterWhere her story began
HuntsvilleChildhood on the campus of Oakwood College
Second gradeSkipped it. Simple efficiency.
1979Graduated from Pine Forge Academy
Wayne StateBachelor of Science, Business Administration and Marketing PR
1987Married on September 5
Four childrenJasmine, Amber, Herbert III, and Jalen
2014Senior Legal Advocate, HopeWorks of Howard County
2022Home Health Aide certification
CadenHer grandson, her pride and delight
AssateagueThe shore she cherished
The Early Chapters
Zan was the daughter of Dr. Rothacker Childs Smith and Mrs. Dorothy Louise Malson Smith. Her story began in Inkster, Michigan, before her family moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where she spent most of her childhood on the campus of Oakwood College. Her brilliance announced itself early: she skipped the second grade, a feat she would later treat as simple efficiency. Why linger where one has already mastered the material?
She went on to Pine Forge Academy, the boarding school in Pine Forge, Pennsylvania, and was delighted to graduate with the class of 1979. After a short season at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), she returned to Detroit and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing PR from Wayne State University. She excelled in the classroom, on the basketball court, and in the choir stand. Whatever Zan touched, she enlivened.
She was also bold. During a high school trip, she and a friend wandered onto Eddie Murphy’s tour bus. There was no invitation, no permission, and, by every account, no hesitation. She stepped off that bus with a story her family would hold dear for decades, and the rest of us have been grateful for it ever since.
Love, and the Family It Built
In Detroit, Zan met Herbert C. Buchanan Jr. They married on September 5, 1987, and together, raised four cherished children: Jasmine, Amber (Eric Samson), Herbert III, and Jalen. They spent 25 years married, and even though their marriage ended, they remained family. Her grandson, Caden, was her pride, her delight, and the most reliable source of her best storytelling.
Her children’s successes filled her with a pride that can only be described as Olympic-level. Her family was her life’s masterpiece, and she was never shy about displaying it.
Tap the photographs to look through them
The Work of Her Hands, and Her Heart
Service was Zan’s love language. She homeschooled her children with patience and intention, volunteered with Family Shelter Service, and later became a substitute teacher, a role that surely required every ounce of that patience and some she hadn’t known she had.
2014In 2014, she answered a deeper calling and became a Senior Legal Advocate with HopeWorks of Howard County, Maryland. There she supported survivors of domestic violence with compassion, integrity, and a fierce commitment to justice. After earning her Home Health Aide certification in 2022, she cared for seniors with tenderness and dignity. She sought meaningful work rather than settling for merely convenient work, and she found it, again and again.
Through all of it, she made sure her children were supported and uplifted. Every burden she was faced with went into God’s hands, and, as she liked to point out, He carried her through each time.
A Woman of Faith
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
A Woman of Faith
At Miracle City SDA Church in Baltimore, Zan anchored her life in Scripture and in the writings of a prolific author named Ellen G. White. Her favorite hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” described the way she lived: trusting God in every season, believing in His promises, and walking in hope.
When cancer came, with all of its twists and uncomfortable turns, her faith did not flinch. She walked with God to the very end, and her life remains a testimony to that steadfast belief.
ZANThe Joy Issue1961 – 2026Unforgettable
Magazine covers should have been nervousHer fashion sense was that polished
The Zan Experience
Her laughter came first, a warm, infectious sound that could defuse tension, lift spirits, and fill a room before she had fully entered it.
Her kitchen produced legendary pizza, bread, and dishes that could have won cook-offs, though she never needed a ribbon to know. Her home was clean, warm, and welcoming, and so thoroughly organized that it occasionally made guests reconsider their own life choices. Her herbs filled the windowsills. Her fashion sense was so polished that magazine covers should have been nervous. Her shopping talent could reasonably be classified as a competitive sport, and she would have medaled.
She adored flowers, great food, animals, family gatherings, and any excuse at all to be near the shore. She was always on the move, going, doing, organizing, uplifting, and somehow looking flawless the entire time. Her thoughtfulness flowed naturally and generously. If joy had a spokesperson, it would have been Zan.
She traveled across the United States and Europe, and every trip filled her spirit. She found something to smile about no matter what, and she did not keep it to herself.
Her herbs filled the windowsills · touch a sprig
What She Taught Us
Zan taught by example far more than by lecture, a quiet, consistent demonstration of excellence. Her lessons, as her family received them, were these:
Trust God through everything.
Be impeccably organized (and be gracious about other people’s piles).
Keep a clean, warm, and welcoming home.
Find something to smile about, always.
Persevere, then forgive, then persevere some more.
Touch each pearl to read her lessons
To put it plainly: if you met Zan, she influenced you. Her faith, independence, humor, and relentless perseverance made her a force of nature, and her wisdom was deep, generous, and far beyond her years. Her children, her friends, and even her casual acquaintances found themselves better, braver, and more centered after spending time in her orbit.
What She Was Proudest Of
Zan’s greatest pride was her relationship with God and the family He entrusted to her: her children, her siblings, her grandson, and her extended family. She was equally proud of every person with whom she shared her faith, whether through conversation, prayer, or simply the example of her life.
1961
A Final Place of Peace
Her ashes were lovingly released at Assateague, Maryland, the shore she cherished and the serenity she embodied. It is difficult to imagine a more fitting resting place for a woman who was never happier than when the tide was coming in.
Sunrise
⌄Scroll slowly, and watch the day pass over the shore
A Life in Pictures
274 photographs, gathered by her family. Select any photograph to see it larger.
Those Who Carry Her Forward
Zanita is survived by her children, Jasmine (Howard Griner, Jr.), Amber (Eric Samson), Herbert III, and Jalen; her grandson, Caden; and a large and loving family.
Siblings
Barry Smith; Marcia Smith Hicks and Bill Hicks, brother-in-law; Karen Smith; Brian Smith and Lisa Smith, sister-in-law; and Candace Smith
Nieces and Nephews
William Hicks; Gwen Marie Hicks; Meaghan Hicks Turner; and Curtis Turner
Grand-nieces and Grand-nephews
Kenton Hicks, Kasmin Hicks, Anais Turner, and Kaylei Hicks
Preceded in Death by Her Parents
Dr. Rothacker Childs Smith and Mrs. Dorothy Louise Malson Smith
Memorial Service
Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
The memorial service was held on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Thank you to everyone who came to honor her.
Miracle City Seventh-day Adventist Church 100 S Rock Glen Road Baltimore, MD 21229
Words of RemembranceMargo Bagley, LaJeanne Joseph, Robin Thomas, Melanie Cruz, Susan Smith, and Brian Smith
Song SelectionO Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, Meaghan Hicks Turner
Reading of the ObituaryMarji Bates
EulogyPastor Anthony Medley
Closing PrayerPastor Noah Washington
Share a Memory
A story, a kindness she showed you, something she said that stayed with you. The family reads every memory first, and with your permission, some may be shared on this page.
The family of Zanita Gertrude Smith Buchanan extends heartfelt thanks for every prayer, message, call, and act of kindness. Your love has been a balm in this season of grief.
A Light That Lives On
Light a candle for her
Zanita leaves behind a legacy of laughter, faith, beauty, and resilience. She did not leave behind only memories; she left footprints, clear paths of love and grace for the rest of us to follow. Her physical presence is absent, but her spirit remains, guiding and encouraging us, and reminding us that joy and faith are choices we can make every day.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
…
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
With loving remembrance, The Family of Zanita Gertrude Smith Buchanan
