Stella Patrick Smith is a native of Durham, born in Watts Hospital and raised in the Watts/Hillandale Neighborhood. Her parents, Martha and James Patrick, were both teachers. Martha taught French at Durham High School and James taught Engineering courses at Durham Technical Community College. Stella attended E. K. Powe, Brogden, Durham High School, and Peace College. She remains a champion of the public school system and has volunteered tutoring underserviced kids through the Augustine Project.
Stella is Realtorâ, with 28 years experience in both residential sales and property management. Having lived in Durham her entire life, she has a wonderful knowledge of the city and all of its neighborhoods. Her career in real estate was sparked by her love of older homes, although she has expanded her business base to include newer neighborhoods and homes in the outlying counties. Still loving to work with first time homebuyers, she is now selling second or third homes to her original clients.
Stella is an active member of Watts Street Baptist Church, where she is involved in many of the missions of the church. She loves to cook and prepares the meal for around 160 each week for Wednesday supper at church. She also has a small catering company, Feeding the Masses.
Being especially concerned with the needs of the elderly and the homeless, as well as the plight of mistreated animals, she has served on the Board of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, the Trinity Park Neighborhood Associa