Cynthia “Smith” Trang passed away on April 5th, 2025, after a long illness.

She was known by many different names throughout the domains of her life—Cindy to family, CT to work colleagues, and Smith or The Smith to many friends. Every one of them knew her as a generous and loyal person, whose steadfastness was complemented—never threatened—by her levity and her commitment to making people laugh.

Discovering a fascination with the power of numbers during her years at The Ohio State University, Smith channeled her passion for data into a successful career as a financial analyst, most recently at Clear Street. She was also an innovator and entrepreneur, helping to found the music app company brain.fm and serving as its CFO. Although her work focused on finance, she was devoid of materialism, preferring to live in humble apartments, drive a 10-year-old car, and safeguard her earnings as security for herself and her family.

To her family, she was a devoted daughter, sister, cousin and aunt, and she spoke often of the joy she got from caring for her loved ones.

To her friends, she was a companion who was up for anything, and brought joy as a fellow concertgoer, boardgamer, diner, workout buddy – or just hanging out on a quiet evening. She would never hesitate to leave a party to take a walk with a friend who just needed a moment.

Despite the dedication she brought to her obligations, she also had a love of adventure, a taste for the quirky and irreverent, and above all, a sense of humor. Whether it was a quick one-liner, a well-timed eye roll, or a willingness to climb into any large cardboard box, she brought playfulness and whimsy to the lives of those around her. This frequently showed through when she was around the children in her life—her nieces, goddaughters, and the children of her friends all adored the fact that she was willing to play on their level (literally).

She was cautious when it mattered, and lived with abandon when there was joy to be had. She drove like a grandmother and swore like a sailor, often at the same time. She ran half marathons and could chase an indulgent dinner with a stop at the donut shop across the street or ice cream down the block. She was an avid fan of Premier League soccer, rooting for Arsenal, and despite living in Chicago for over a decade, maintained a soft spot for the Columbus Crew.

She is survived by her parents, brother, and many loving family members—both blood-related and found-family.

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