NEW YORK—Model, restaurateur and lifestyle guru Barbara "B." Smith has died at her Long Island home, her family announced in a statement on social media. She was 70.
Smith died Saturday evening after battling early onset Alzheimer's disease. Smith's family announced on social media that she died Saturday evening.
"Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile," Gasby said in a lengthy Facebook post honoring her life.
“You epitomized class, true beauty and dignity. Rest well Queen,” actress Viola Davis wrote on Twitter.
Smith wrote three cookbooks, founded three successful restaurants and launched a nationally syndicated television show and a magazine.
Smith was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 2013. She and her husband, Dan Gasby, raised awareness of the disease following her diagnosis.
Smith began suffering from memory problems years before her diagnosis. She once froze for several seconds while being interviewed on the "Today Show," prompting a doctor's visit that led to her diagnosis. A few months later, she wandered away and was missing in New York City for a day.
Smith, a native of Pennsylvania, began her career as a fashion model in Pittsburgh and went on to serve as a spokeswoman for Verizon, Colgate, Palmolive Oxy and McCormick's Lawry seasonings. She hosted the nationally syndicated television show "B. Smith with Style" for nearly a decade, which aired on NBC stations.
Smith is survived by Gasby, whom she married in 1992, and her stepdaughter Dana Gasby.