Barbara Smits was an American woman who built a 29-year career in public service, raised two children in Brooklyn, and died on April 16, 2010, at age 54 from pneumonia complications. Most people search her name because she was once married to actor Jimmy Smits — but her own story is the more honest reason to read about her. She worked for nearly three decades at Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City and earned a named award in her honor. This article covers everything that verifiable records confirm, addresses conflicting dates that circulate online, and stays honest about what the historical record does not include.
Who Was Barbara Smits?
Barbara Smits was born on November 27, 1955, in the United States. She held American nationality and identified as African-American. Beyond those basic facts, she never disclosed details of her early life — her parents’ names, her childhood, her siblings. Barbara maintained that privacy deliberately throughout her adult life, and no reliable source has filled those gaps.
She was not a public figure in any conventional sense. She never sought attention, never used social media, and gave no interviews. The bulk of what the internet knows about her comes from two sources: a Cornell University institutional obituary and the biographical records of her former husband.
Education at Ithaca College
Smits started her career on the Ithaca campus in 1981 while her former husband, Jimmy Smits, M.F.A. ’82, attended Cornell as a graduate student. Her Ithaca College enrollment is one of the few confirmed educational facts on record. She never publicly revealed her graduation year or course of study. Even so, the Ithaca connection directly shaped her professional path — she moved to New York City the following year and began her long career at Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Barbara Smits’ Career at Cornell Cooperative Extension
This is the part of Barbara Smits’ life that deserves the most attention, and the part that most articles skim past. She did not simply hold a job. She spent 29 years at a single public service organization, rose steadily through its ranks, and had an award named in her honor after her death. That kind of professional legacy is unusual for anyone, regardless of whom they were married to.
Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City (CCE-NYC) is the urban branch of New York State’s land-grant extension system. It connects Cornell University’s research to community needs across New York City, covering food access, environmental education, 4-H youth development, and practical community programs. The work runs quietly — no press coverage, no glamour — but the impact is real.
From the 4-H Program to the Executive Office
Smits arrived in New York City in 1982 to work in the 4-H Program. From there, she moved into the role of executive staff assistant for the Environmental Issues Program Area. In 2004, she became assistant to the executive director of CCE-NYC. That progression reflects real institutional trust — built quietly over more than two decades. Furthermore, she died while still on staff, having never left the organization.
What Her Colleagues Said
The tributes her colleagues offered after her death say more about her than any biography can. Brenda Tobias, director of NYC Communications, put it this way: “Barbara will be remembered for her quick smile, frequent laughter and generosity of spirit. She was a true professional. She brought an extraordinary amount of humanity to her workplace.” Donald Tobias, executive director of CCE-NYC, described her as “both the glue and the backbone of our organization.”
Those are not routine condolences. They describe someone operationally central to the institution — indispensable in the quiet way that holds organizations together.
The Barbara Smits Service Award
CCE-NYC established a service award in Barbara’s honor to recognize dedication and contributions to the organization’s mission. The award keeps the standard she set alive after her death. For an organization that works largely outside the public eye, creating a named award carries real weight. It shows how fundamentally her colleagues considered her work essential — not incidental.
Barbara Smits and Jimmy Smits — Their Relationship
Barbara Smits and Jimmy Smits met as high school students in Brooklyn. Their relationship predates his acting career entirely. They were together during the years he spent doing theater work and studying drama, before any public recognition came his way. She knew him as a person, not as a celebrity, and she supported the early stages of his career from that private vantage point.
Their Marriage
Barbara and Jimmy Smits married in 1981. The most commonly cited date is June 10 of that year, though some sources say 1980 — a discrepancy covered in the conflicting dates section below. During those years, Jimmy built his career through stage work, small television roles, and his eventual breakthrough in L.A. Law, which premiered in 1986.
After the separation, Barbara raised Taina and Joaquin in Brooklyn. She gave them stability and values centered on kindness, responsibility, and learning. She never leveraged the marriage, the divorce, or her proximity to his growing fame into any public opportunity. Rather, she returned her full attention to her career and her children.
Why They Divorced
Jimmy Smits filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Proceedings completed in November 1987. Court records show the couple stopped living together on March 15, 1986 — around the time Jimmy began a relationship with actress Wanda De Jesus. He has remained with her ever since. She, by contrast, never remarried.
Barbara Smits’ Children
Barbara and Jimmy Smits had two children together. Both grew up in Brooklyn with their mother after the divorce, and both have built independent lives as adults.
Taina Smits is the elder child. She teaches theatre arts at Glasgow Middle School in Fairfax County, Virginia. She has married Bo Beasley and has a daughter named Tyler. Beyond her teaching career, Taina has been openly vocal about her mother’s memory. Every year, she marks Barbara’s birthday on November 27 and Mother’s Day with public tributes. That consistency — maintained for over fifteen years since Barbara’s death — reflects how deep their bond ran.
Joaquin Smits is the younger child, born in 1983. He has pursued acting in his father’s footsteps and also works as a businessman and VIP host. Like his sister, he keeps most of his personal life private.
How Did Barbara Smits Die?
Barbara Smits died on April 16, 2010, from complications of pneumonia. She was 54 years old. Her health had declined over a period of time before her death. She passed away while still on staff at CCE-NYC — meaning she worked there until illness made continuing impossible.
How Her Family Remembers Her
The people who knew her remembered her with specificity that biographical summaries rarely capture: the laughter, the generosity, the ability to hold an organization together quietly. Taina continues to honor her mother publicly each year, on her birthday and on Mother’s Day. She has kept that practice for over fifteen years since Barbara’s passing.
Conflicting Dates in Barbara Smits’ Biography — What’s Actually Confirmed
Because Barbara Smits lived privately, most of what circulates about her online comes from aggregated celebrity biography sites rather than primary records. As a result, several key facts conflict across sources. The table below gives an honest summary of what the record confirms versus what remains disputed.
| Detail | Most Common Claim | What’s Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage year | 1980 or 1981 | Multiple sources cite 1981; some say June 10, 1980 — unresolved |
| Separation date | 1986 or 1987 | Court records say cohabitation ended March 15, 1986 |
| Divorce finalized | 1986 or 1987 | Most sources and court records point to November 1987 |
| Taina’s birth year | 1973 or 1975 | Sources conflict; no primary record confirms either |
| CCE-NYC start year | 1981 or 1982 | Cornell Chronicle confirms 1981 (Ithaca campus); NYC work began 1982 |
| Net worth ($1 million) | Stated as fact everywhere | An unverified aggregate estimate — not a confirmed figure |
The Cornell Chronicle obituary, published by Cornell University on April 21, 2010, is the only fully reliable source. Everything else reflects secondary aggregation of varying accuracy. For any detail that matters to you, that Chronicle entry is the only document worth treating as authoritative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Barbara Smits?
Barbara Smits (November 27, 1955 – April 16, 2010) was an American woman best known as the former wife of actor Jimmy Smits. Beyond that connection, she spent 29 years at Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City. She rose from the 4-H Program to assistant to the executive director, and CCE-NYC created a named service award in her honor. She raised two children and lived a deliberately private life throughout.
How did Barbara Smits die?
Barbara Smits died on April 16, 2010, from complications of pneumonia. She was 54 years old. Her health had declined for some time before her death, and she remained employed at CCE-NYC until illness made continuing impossible.
Did Barbara Smits have children?
Yes. Barbara and Jimmy Smits raised two children together: daughter Taina Smits, who now teaches theatre arts in Fairfax County, Virginia, and son Joaquin Smits, born in 1983, who works as an actor, businessman, and VIP host. Both children grew up in Brooklyn under Barbara’s care after the divorce.
Why did Barbara Smits and Jimmy Smits divorce?
Jimmy Smits filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Proceedings completed in November 1987. Court records show the couple stopped living together on March 15, 1986 — around the time Jimmy began a relationship with actress Wanda De Jesus, whom he has stayed with ever since. Barbara never remarried after the split.
What was the Barbara Smits Service Award?
CCE-NYC created the Barbara Smits Service Award in her honor to recognize dedication and contributions to the organization’s mission. Rather than a ceremonial gesture, the award exists to keep her standard of service alive — a reflection of how central her colleagues considered her work to the institution’s identity.
What did Barbara Smits do for work?
She joined Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City in 1982 to work in the 4-H Program. From there, she advanced to executive staff assistant for the Environmental Issues Program Area. In 2004, she became assistant to the executive director. Across 29 years at that single organization, she worked on youth development, environmental education, and urban community programs until her health declined.
Is Barbara Smits the same person described as a neuroscientist or policy architect on some websites?
No — those articles are fabricated and describe a fictional person with no connection to the real Barbara Smits. The real Barbara Smits was a public service professional at Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City and the former wife of actor Jimmy Smits. Any source describing her as a scientist or policy figure should be disregarded entirely.
What was Barbara Smits’ net worth?
Most sites cite approximately $1 million, but that figure is an unverified aggregate estimate — not a confirmed number. It attempts to reflect her 29-year professional income, whatever divorce settlement the couple reached, and her broader financial management over her adult life. No verified financial record exists in the public domain.
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