Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cornelis Leendert “Cornelius” Smits |
| Birth | May 7, 1929 — Paramaribo, Suriname |
| Death | February 6, 2015 (age 85) |
| Occupation | Screen-printing plant manager / silk-screening foreman (manufacturing) |
| Primary residence (U.S.) | Brooklyn, New York |
| Spouse | Emilina (Emelina) Pola Smits (born Peñuelas, Puerto Rico) |
| Children | Jimmy Smits (b. July 9, 1955), Yvonne Smits, Diana Smits |
| Grandchildren | Taina Smits, Joaquin Smits |
| Public profile | Private individual; known primarily as the father of actor Jimmy Smits |
Content Sections
Early life and migration: from Paramaribo to Brooklyn
Cornelius Leendert Smits was born on May 7, 1929, in Paramaribo, Suriname — a place where Dutch colonial history braided with Caribbean rhythms. His formative years took place against that multicultural backdrop, and at some point in adulthood he made the migration to the United States, joining the mid-20th-century wave of people seeking work and new opportunity. The move reshaped a life that would be lived largely out of the public eye: from a Surinamese childhood to a working-class rhythm in Brooklyn, New York. He carried with him a cultural legacy that blended Dutch-Surinamese roots into an American family story.
Work, character, and the everyday backbone
In the United States Cornelius built a life in manufacturing; descriptions place him in supervisory roles within screen-printing plants, working as a foreman or plant manager. The job is emblematic of a quietly steady life — industrial noise, regimented shifts, hands that learned both the pace of production and the discipline of responsibility. There are no headlines tied to corporate awards or public accolades. Instead, his achievements are domestic and personal: steady work, daily visits to his mother when he could, and a household kept on the twin principles of faith and duty. If his life had a signature, it was constancy — less a trumpet than a metronome.
Family life and cultural fusion
Cornelius married Emilina Pola, a woman from Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, and together they raised three children in a devout Roman Catholic home in Brooklyn. That household stitched together Dutch-Surinamese stoicism and Puerto Rican warmth; it became bilingual not just in language but in ways of being — strict rituals, Sunday mass, intergenerational obligations, and the everyday negotiations of immigrant life. Cornelius and Emilina emphasized discipline and devotion, and those values threaded through the upbringing of their children: Jimmy, Yvonne, and Diana. Family meals, cultural observances, and a demanding work ethic defined the home environment more than public ambition.
The father of a star: influence without glare
Though Cornelius himself never sought public attention, his role as the father of Jimmy Smits — born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn — became part of his legacy. Jimmy rose to prominence as an actor with major television roles and industry awards, and he has often credited the work ethic and discipline of his parents for shaping his steadiness in the public sphere. Cornelius’ influence reads like an indirect mentorship: not lessons spoken into cameras, but habits modeled through daily labor and familial commitment. In other words, his quiet example amplified into his son’s public life, a ripple that traveled from a factory floor to soundstages and awards ceremonies.
The daughters and the private siblings
Yvonne and Diana Smits remain intentionally out of the spotlight, completing a sibling trio that maintained close-knit family ties. Public records offer little beyond their presence in family narratives, which is itself telling: this was a household that valued privacy and internal cohesion over public display. The sisters’ low profile mirrors their father’s temperament; they are threads in the family tapestry rather than banners on the town square.
Grandchildren and generational continuity
Cornelius lived to see grandchildren — among them Taina and Joaquin Smits — and the family continuity can be read in small gestures: birthday gatherings, family photographs, the passing down of stories. The generational line connects Paramaribo to Park Slope or Marine Park; it maps immigration, acculturation, and continuity. In this sense Cornelius’ life functioned as a bridge: geographical, cultural, and familial.
Public footprint and remembrance
When he passed on February 6, 2015, at age 85, remembrances emphasized his role as a devoted husband and father rather than any public triumphs. Obituaries and family notices framed him as an archetypal immigrant patriarch — hardworking, faithful, and modest. He left no scandal, no public controversies, and few online footprints beyond genealogical mentions and family biographies. The available record is short on specifics, but long on the shape of a life: steady employment, familial devotion, and cultural hybridity.
Financial and social standing: a modest profile
There is no public evidence of large wealth or celebrity-level earnings attached to Cornelius. His work in manufacturing suggests a middle-class, blue-collar reality: steady, respectable, and oriented toward supporting a family rather than public prominence. Financial details were private and unremarkable in the public record, and that lack of spectacle reflects the broader character of his life.
A life distilled: values over vanity
Cornelius’ story is not dramatic in headlines, but it is instructive. He represents the many lives that lie behind public figures: the parents who labor without applause, the immigrant who adapts without fanfare, the husband and father whose day-to-day constancy shapes future generations. If celebrity is a bright, fast flare, Cornelius’ life is the steady hearth — heat without flash, warmth without parade.
FAQ
Who was Cornelius Smits?
Cornelius Smits (born Cornelis Leendert Smits) was a Surinamese-born immigrant who settled in Brooklyn and is primarily known as the father of actor Jimmy Smits; he worked in manufacturing and lived a private life.
When and where was he born and when did he die?
He was born on May 7, 1929, in Paramaribo, Suriname, and died on February 6, 2015, at the age of 85.
What kind of work did he do?
He worked in the screen-printing industry as a plant manager or silk-screening foreman, a role that provided steady, working-class support for his family.
Who was his spouse and what was her background?
His wife was Emilina (Emelina) Pola from Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, and together they raised a culturally blended household rooted in Catholic practice.
Who are his children and grandchildren?
His children are Jimmy Smits (born 1955), Yvonne Smits, and Diana Smits; grandchildren include Taina and Joaquin Smits.
Did he have any public achievements or controversies?
No public achievements or controversies are recorded; his life is remembered for family devotion and steady labor rather than public honors.
What influence did he have on Jimmy Smits?
Jimmy credits his parents’ strong work ethic and discipline for shaping his grounded approach to life and career, reflecting Cornelius’ indirect but formative influence.
