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Tribute to Helen Patricia Zirnite Smith
1939 – 1973
Helen Patricia Zirnite was born November
28, 1939, in Washington, DC, the second
daughter of Earl and Hazel Zirnite. No
“silver spoon” children, Helen and her older
sister, Marion, were raised by loving
parents in moderate circumstances. Theirs
was a close, working class family that
believed strongly in community values and
earning a living the old-fashioned
way—working hard for it. Helen exemplified
these values and ethics throughout her life.
Whatever challenges she took on in school,
at work, or in the community, she
approached with energy, motivation, and
perseverance. At her best in personal and
social relationships, she was simply adored by everyone who ever met her, in every context of life. Helen brought out the best in people. Her humor, humility, style, and grace portrayed an inner divine spirit—a princess at ease with pauper, aristocrat, or royalty.
Helen had a special zeal for life and an unparalleled personality. She was a person others loved at first meeting and then became her close friends for life, no matter the person’s race, creed, origin, or status in life. Too friendly, too naïve, her friends sometimes thought. But, then again, few were so open, so nonjudgmental of strangers.
No doubt she was smart as well. Helen was a National Honor Roll student. She was a member and secretary of the Student Council, a leader involved in several school clubs, a cheerleader, and high school “Football Queen.” She was everyone’s “sweetheart,” lovingly nicknamed “Termite” by her friends in junior high school.
In her professional career, she also was accomplished—receiving accolades from those with whom she worked. Foregoing what for Helen easily would have been successful university studies and degrees, she entered the workplace after high school in deference to her husband’s entry into college and, soon thereafter, the raising of their children. For several years, Helen worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). About this, little is known because of the agency’s secrecy.
Helen’s years as a mother, wife, and homemaker included self-employment as well. To help support the family, she started two of her own businesses at home: a secretarial service—typing manuscripts, legal documents, and papers—as well as a seamstress business—from doing hems and cuffs to complete alterations, as well as making dresses, suits, and other clothing from scratch.
When the kids were older, Helen began a professional career in real estate. This career became not only highly successful but financially more rewarding than the meager salary of her husband, the college graduate.
Throughout these years, her husband’s world, his work with children, was her work as well. Helen put herself into it with as full a commitment as he, no matter the day of the week or hour, no matter the intrusion into their home life.
Especially with regard to the Boys’ and Girls’ Home initiative—if it was good for the kids with whom he worked, without hesitation, she would be an integral part of the establishment of the group homes. Helen gave her all. At untold meetings at home or anywhere, at fundraising events with potential supporters, she’d be there, the hostess, the partner, the ever-present and willing cheerleader taking on any and all tasks: typing, bookkeeping, blowing up balloons at the county fair, running off flyers, answering a multitude of phone calls at all hours. All the while, she did not miss a beat with respect to both her own budding career and absolute attention to raising Scott and Todd.
At the same time, her husband, Rex, had become administrator for the Department of Juvenile Services. Helen didn’t just tolerate the inordinate time and hours spent trying to establish the credibility and services of this statewide juvenile services agency for which he had responsibility, she supported and gave encouragement to everything necessary to do just that in the interests of the kids the agency served. Many of the key staff of that agency knew her and loved her as well. She was his best public relations person and advisor–consultant. She kept him straight about everything and everyone. She watched his back and always, always made sure to keep him humble.
Then, Rex recalls, “On a warm, midsummer’s night, Friday, July 13, 1973, I was in Ocean City on business. I placed a late night call to Helen, just to say goodnight to my wife, companion, and best friend of 21 years. Then, a call came at 2:00 a.m. ‘Come home right away. Helen has been rushed to the hospital.’”
Helen died the next day—Saturday, July 14, 1973.
By the summer of 1973, the Boys’ and Girls’ Homes had grown from the two rooms in the attic of the first house on Lawrence Court in Rockville, to the home on Maryland Avenue in Rockville, the home on University Boulevard in Wheaton, and the first Girls’ Home in Ashton. With more vision and hope than finances, the same circumstances faced before Lawrence Court, we boldly looked forward to others yet to come. Hundreds of kids had been served, with hundreds more to come.
Helen and Rex had two great kids, Scott and Todd, a new house with a swimming pool they had built, and special landscaping for their “estate.” This was a far cry from very meager beginnings in the Langley Park apartment where they started out while he attended college and Helen worked at the CIA.
It is more than simply a fitting and deserved tribute to the life of Helen Smith that the Home for Girls was named in her honor for a lifetime devoted to others. So many years of her life were unselfishly given to ensuring that the children and youth served by Hearts & Homes for Youth are provided an opportunity to realize their own unique potential, no matter the circumstances and challenges of their lives.
For this, and not for her own recognition, she would be most grateful.
Rex Smith
March 9, 2003
Updated and Re-Printed June 2007
HELEN SMITH GIRLS' GROUP HOME
700 Hudson Ave. Takoma Park, Md.
Helen Patricia Zirnite was born November 28, 1939, in Washington, DC, the second
daughter of Earl and Hazel Zirnite. No
“silver spoon” children, Helen and her older
sister, Marion, were raised by loving
parents in moderate circumstances. Theirs
was a close, working class family that
believed strongly in community values and
earning a living the old-fashioned
way—working hard for it. Helen exemplified
these values and ethics throughout her life.
Whatever challenges she took on in school,
at work, or in the community, she
approached with energy, motivation, and
perseverance. At her best in personal and
social relationships, she was simply adored by everyone who ever met her, in every context of life. Helen brought out the best in people. Her humor, humility, style, and grace portrayed an inner divine spirit—a princess at ease with pauper, aristocrat, or royalty.
Helen had a special zeal for life and an unparalleled personality. She was a person others loved at first meeting and then became her close friends for life, no matter the person’s race, creed, origin, or status in life. Too friendly, too naïve, her friends sometimes thought. But, then again, few were so open, so nonjudgmental of strangers.
No doubt she was smart as well. Helen was a National Honor Roll student. She was a member and secretary of the Student Council, a leader involved in several school clubs, a cheerleader, and high school “Football Queen.” She was everyone’s “sweetheart,” lovingly nicknamed “Termite” by her friends in junior high school.
In her professional career, she also was accomplished—receiving accolades from those with whom she worked. Foregoing what for Helen easily would have been successful university studies and degrees, she entered the workplace after high school in deference to her husband’s entry into college and, soon thereafter, the raising of their children. For several years, Helen worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). About this, little is known because of the agency’s secrecy.
Helen’s years as a mother, wife, and homemaker included self-employment as well. To help support the family, she started two of her own businesses at home: a secretarial service—typing manuscripts, legal documents, and papers—as well as a seamstress business—from doing hems and cuffs to complete alterations, as well as making dresses, suits, and other clothing from scratch.
When the kids were older, Helen began a professional career in real estate. This career became not only highly successful but financially more rewarding than the meager salary of her husband, the college graduate.
Throughout these years, her husband’s world, his work with children, was her work as well. Helen put herself into it with as full a commitment as he, no matter the day of the week or hour, no matter the intrusion into their home life.
Especially with regard to the Boys’ and Girls’ Home initiative—if it was good for the kids with whom he worked, without hesitation, she would be an integral part of the establishment of the group homes. Helen gave her all. At untold meetings at home or anywhere, at fundraising events with potential supporters, she’d be there, the hostess, the partner, the ever-present and willing cheerleader taking on any and all tasks: typing, bookkeeping, blowing up balloons at the county fair, running off flyers, answering a multitude of phone calls at all hours. All the while, she did not miss a beat with respect to both her own budding career and absolute attention to raising Scott and Todd.
At the same time, her husband, Rex, had become administrator for the Department of Juvenile Services. Helen didn’t just tolerate the inordinate time and hours spent trying to establish the credibility and services of this statewide juvenile services agency for which he had responsibility, she supported and gave encouragement to everything necessary to do just that in the interests of the kids the agency served. Many of the key staff of that agency knew her and loved her as well. She was his best public relations person and advisor–consultant. She kept him straight about everything and everyone. She watched his back and always, always made sure to keep him humble.
Then, Rex recalls, “On a warm, midsummer’s night, Friday, July 13, 1973, I was in Ocean City on business. I placed a late night call to Helen, just to say goodnight to my wife, companion, and best friend of 21 years. Then, a call came at 2:00 a.m. ‘Come home right away. Helen has been rushed to the hospital.’”
 |
By the summer of 1973, the Boys’ and Girls’ Homes had grown from the two rooms in the attic of the first house on Lawrence Court in Rockville, to the home on Maryland Avenue in Rockville, the home on University Boulevard in Wheaton, and the first Girls’ Home in Ashton. With more vision and hope than finances, the same circumstances faced before Lawrence Court, we boldly looked forward to others yet to come. Hundreds of kids had been served, with hundreds more to come.
Helen and Rex had two great kids, Scott and Todd, a new house with a swimming pool they had built, and special landscaping for their “estate.” This was a far cry from very meager beginnings in the Langley Park apartment where they started out while he attended college and Helen worked at the CIA.
It is more than simply a fitting and deserved tribute to the life of Helen Smith that the Home for Girls was named in her honor for a lifetime devoted to others. So many years of her life were unselfishly given to ensuring that the children and youth served by Hearts & Homes for Youth are provided an opportunity to realize their own unique potential, no matter the circumstances and challenges of their lives.
For this, and not for her own recognition, she would be most grateful.
Rex Smith
March 9, 2003
Updated and Re-Printed June 2007
HELEN SMITH GIRLS' GROUP HOME
700 Hudson Ave. Takoma Park, Md.
