Lana Lucille Curtis-Smith

09/29/1947 – 01/23/2023

Lana passed away peacefully in her sleep with her sons at her side. In Smith fashion, there were tears and laughter. Stories about growing up in a house of all men, living in the foothills with dogs, oak brush, rattlesnakes, and Red Rocks.

Mom did her best to empower us to be strong. It was Mom who encouraged us to take risks, see the world, be open-minded, and most importantly, be responsible individuals. Lana taught us to be comfortable being “uncomfortable” and to be brave and not let fear of the unknown hold us back.

She lived her life by this example. She chose to leave a safe affluent lifestyle living in Dayton, Ohio to attend a small college in a small mountain town in Colorado. It was at Fort Lewis College in Durango that she met Richens Smith. He was an outgoing Western Slope farm boy, upper classman football player, and they fell in love. Even as her parents were unsure of this budding union, she did not waver. Lana and Rich embarked on a life together, not knowing where it would lead. She left the Midwest and he walked away from a successful farm life to drive in their VW Bug to teach in a city that neither had ever been before. Unsure and insecure, they were excited to be doing it together.

In Colorado Springs, they found a home in which to build a family. Lana loved teaching kids the beauty of English Literature, Journalism, and eventually, she went into Counseling. Being a high school counsellor was her calling. Not only did she help kids who needed someone to talk to, but she also pushed them to think bigger than ever possible. At both Widefield and Palmer High Schools, she strived to break down her students’ preconceived limitations. She got them to not only think, “What if?” but also believe, “Why not?” Whether it was a first-generation student attending college, or a kid dreaming of the Ivy League, it was all possible! Lana changed the paths of young adults, always encouraging them to ask if they could imagine more. There isn’t an award or prize for changing the lives of our youth. But if it existed, Mom would be in the hall of fame!

When Lana retired, she focused on her love for animals. She volunteered at Sea World in San Diego, sitting up all night observing an epileptic Orca to ensure he didn’t have a seizure while sleeping. She volunteered in Boulder, CO hiking into Chautauqua Park to observe the nesting safety of Peregrine Falcons.

Lana then decided that she had more to give. She absolutely loved education! She believed young, new teachers were the life blood of a school. Lana wanted to foster that belief, and she spent the last of her years teaching college graduates at Regis University in Denver. She taught her students how to be effective, and most importantly, impactful educators. This was her gift to the world.

Lana’s loves were simple: Family-her boys Christopher, Joshua, Jerod, and Deshaon. Her grandchildren- Delaney, Logan, Dylan, and Makenzie. Her boxers Max, Baron, Wilson, Louie, Bagheera, Layla, Nala, and Khan. Lana also loved watching sports, especially those of her kids. In a house of all boys, sports were life! She loved watching her boys play tee ball all while picking flowers in the outfield, her boys dislocating elbows in wrestling, becoming pole vaulters in junior high, playing soccer games in the Colorado snow, participating in teen swim meets with awkward boys in Speedos, embarking on baseball trips to small towns in WY and NB (adopting the rest of the boys on the team). She watched and laughed from the warm confines of a ski lodge as her boys taught (and fought) each other how to snow ski.

She cherished warm summer days on the boat as her sons laughed and tried to one-up each other on the tube, knee board, and eventually water skis. She loved our annual trip to Lake Havasu, AZ with the “Road Hogs.” It was a tribe of 10-12 families who would caravan every spring break to soak up sun and laugh with loved ones. This was heaven for Lana.

Lana loved football! Whether it was watching her husband coach at Widefield or Fountain Fort Carson High Schools, her sons playing for Palmer High School and then at the University of Oregon, or the Denver Broncos; she loved it all. She knew more about defensive schemes and personnel than most assistant coaches. She followed the Oregon Ducks long after her boys graduated. She instinctively wore green and yellow long after Alzheimer’s robbed her of her memory. Even until her last days, just mentioning the Ducks would bring a sparkle to her face. “Go Ducks,” Mom, “Win the day!”

Mom lived her life without fear of the unknown. She loved unconditionally and without judgement. She was fiercely loyal. She refused to apologize for the values she believed in. Though she has moved on, she will not be forgotten.

With this, please join us in celebrating our mom, Lana Lucille Smith.

Love,

Christopher, Joshua, Jerod, and Deshaon.

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