Gladys Taft

Gladys Cornelia Taft-Salahud-Din was born July 07,1942 in Camden, South Carolina to the late Willie and Mary Smith. She was the youngest of thirteen children. Gladys, affectionately known as “Sista”, “Aunt G”, and “Granny,” received her formal education in the Camden, South Carolina Public School System before moving to Washington, D.C., where she worked until moving to Newark, New Jersey. After moving to Newark, NJ, she met and married her late husband of 51 years, Leonard Taft-Salahud-din. She was a seamstress and a stay at home mom until her children were school age. Gladys had a strong work ethic and enjoyed working with her colleagues. She always encouraged her children to put forth maximum effort in school and in life. She enjoyed her position as a supervisor at Lockheed Martin and Datascope until she retired in 2007. Gladys was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister. She enjoyed cooking and was famous for her dressing, sweet potatoes pies, potato salad, and mac-n-cheese. Spending time with her family always brought her joy. She had a way of keeping everyone in check by giving you the “LOOK”. Gladys was preceded in death by her husband Leonard Taft Salahud-din; six brothers Corbett, Sanders, Israel, Clenty, Moses and Harvey James; three sisters Maebell, Rachel and Mary Louise. She leaves to cherish her memories: Children, Cynthia and Emmanuel Carter of Rahway, NJ, Khadijah and Infinite Supreme of Elkridge, MD, Leonard Salahud-din Jr. of Elkridge, MD; Grandchildren Raisah, Brandon, and Yasir; Great Grandchildren Tatiana, Brandi and Elijah; one Sister, Ethel Milton of Houston, TX, two Brothers and Sister-N-Laws, Willie and Vera Smith of Fort Washington, MD, Boyd and Dorothy Smith of Piscataway, NJ. Two Brother-N-Laws William Fant of Roselle, NJ, Willie James Taft of Greenville, NC, Godson, Elliot Fant, a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.