Feb. 24 (UPI) -- B. Smith, the restaurateur, model and bestselling cookbook author has died at the age of 70.
Smith's husband Dan Gasby confirmed that Smith died Saturday at her Long Island home following a battle with Alzheimer's disease.
"Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile," Gasby said in a statement.
Smith, full name Barbara Elaine Smith, started her career as a model and was one of the first African-American women to appear on the cover of Mademoiselle in 1976.
She opened her first restaurant in 1986 and went on to author cookbooks, make television appearances and had a lifestyle magazine that was published by American Express. Smith also had a housewares, bed linen and furniture line.
Smith announced that she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2013. She penned a book with Gasby about dealing with the disease titled Before I Forget.
