B. Smith Dies After Fight With Memory Loss

(Good Morning America)

By Julia Jacobo

B. Smith, the model turned lifestyle guru and restaurateur, has died at 70 years old following her battle with early-onset Alzheimer's, her husband, Dan Gasby, announced on Sunday.

Barbara Elaine Smith died "peacefully" at the couple's home on Long Island, New York, on Saturday just before 11 p.m., Gasby said.

B. Smith at her restaurant in New York, Feb. 20, 2001.(Getty)

In his post, Gasby thanked the doctor and caregivers who made Smith "comfortable in her final days" in hospice as well as friends and fans who supported the family during their journey with the disease.

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"Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile," Gasby wrote.

B. Smith and Dan Gasby attend the "Barefoot Under the Stars" event at the Wolffer Estate Vineyard, 

June 25, 2011, in Sagaponack, New York. (Getty image)

Smith began her career as a model in the mid-60s and later opened her first restaurant in New York City in 1986. She has also authored three recipe books.

Read this, be prepared because Memory loss from Alzheimer's, Accident or just a brain that had an electrical malfunction, means it could strike silently lots of people:

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She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a degenerative disease that severely impacts memory and cognitive ability, more than seven years ago.

Congressman Charles Rangel attends B. Smith's party at her restaurant to celebrate 

her new Discovery Channel TV show. (Getty image)

Last year, Gasby appeared on "The View," opening up on what it was like to be the primary caretaker for someone suffering from Alzheimer's.

Smith is survived by Gasby and their daughter, Dana