India Smith

India Channae Smith was born on Saturday, October 8, 1983, at OSU to Dorothy Smith-Hairston and the late Carty Hairston, Jr. She departed this life unexpectedly on Monday, July 24, 2023, at Pickerington Emergency Room while waiting to be seen.

Early in life, India attended Devonshire Alternative Elementary school, Mifflin International Middle, Southeast Career Center, and she graduated from Mifflin High School, Class of 2002. After graduating, she briefly attended Bradford College for Accounting. India quickly decided that school was not for her, so she left school and started working for Limited Brands, followed by Tween Brands, and McGraw-Hill.

India was a woman of God who gave her life to the Lord at a young age.  She loved going to church, reading her Bible, and having Bible study.  Religion was just a word to India. She would sit and talk to anyone whom believed in a higher power. India was in love with weddings and had hopes to be a wife and mother one day. She would give to charity and help others with no questions asked. Her greatest accomplishment in life was being able to spend time with family; it meant a lot her. She will be missed by all who love her. India was a fashionista and loved high fashion. She had an eye for a “knock off” and would tell you about the stitching. She was magnificent with organization and could tell if anything was out of place. She was affectionally known as “Pieface,” “Muggles,” “Engine,” “Indo,” “Dophi,” “Moo-Moo,” and “Doot-Doot.”

India was preceded in death by her father, Carty Hairston, Jr.; grandfathers, Carty Hairston, Sr., and David Smith, Sr.; grandmothers, Lillian Hairston, and Dorothy Smith; uncles, Roosevelt Smith, Charles Smith, Robert Walker, Terry Smith, Floyd Evans, and Tony Smith; and cousins, Charles Allen, Moniqua Hairston, Shenee Smith-Pruitt, and Alayzia Wooden.

She leaves to cherish her memory: her favorite person in the world, her mother, Dorothy Smith-Hairston; brother, Bernard “Chim” (Ebony) Smith; sisters, Tia (Cary) Hairston and China (James) Stanley; nephew, Elijah “Eli” Smith; nieces, Nya “Nyny” Smith and Natalia “Boom-Boom” Hairston-Fortune; uncles, David (April) Smith, Jr., and Jerry (Tasha) Hairston; aunts, Juanita Evans, Glodean Hairston, Lenda Newman, Barbara Smith, Tina Allen, Geraldine Walker, Mary (Richard) James, Alice (Webster) Pruitt, Carla (Anthony) Watson, and Catherine Smith; godmother, Cynthia Goddard; godbrothers, Shawndale and Shannon Goddard; godson, Noah Smith; special friend, Johnny Walker; and a host of cousins, friends, and church families. India will be missed dearly by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her sweet, beautiful, loving, and caring soul. Never goodbye, India, we will all see you later!

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