Susan Smith

March 9, 2024

In Loving Memory ~

Our mother, Susan Smith, passed from our lives on March 9th, 2024 - not long after celebrating her 81st birthday with family and close friends.

Our Mom kept to herself a lot in the last few years. Her youth, however, was vibrant and very social. She would often be found hosting cocktail parties, attending events, raising animals, visiting friends, family, and neighbours - and much, much more.

Susan was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1943. She met her husband and love of her life, Darrell Smith when they worked at the same electronics company in the early 1960's. Our mother and father moved to Edmonton, Alberta by the end of the decade and then purchased a farm and built a house in the mid-1970s near Millet, Alberta.

Mom worked with Dad in his accounting practice that they opened in the late 1970s in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. She was the receptionist/secretary in the office (side note: everyone thought something was going on between the two of them not realizing they were a married couple- fuelling gossip in such a small town...).

Our parents also ran a farm property at our residence in addition to the accounting practice - which included raising cattle and farming hay. Mom was very active in the daily operations of the farm. It was not unusual for Mom to have to head out into the fields in the wee hours to help a cow through birthing.

She always did whatever was needed to make sure things ran smoothly. Her favourite thing about owning a farm was that she had her horse, Rusty, that she loved riding when time allowed.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Mom and Dad discovered their love for recreational camping and boating. They spent a lot of time with family and friends heading out to the Salmon Arm area of British Columbia during the summers in earlier years - and local lakes/ campsites at Pigeon Lake and Wizard Lake in Alberta in later years.

In the early 1990s, Mom and Dad decided to retire. They sold their business and home and bought a property near Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island. After our father's passing in 2001, Mom moved into Parksville, British Columbia - where she lived until her passing - nearby both of her children, Wes and Deanna.

Mom's attention to detail was always meticulous and she always had a story to share about any subject you could dream up. Mom could certainly "talk your ear off", but that always meant she thought you worthy to talk to, and it should always have been taken as a compliment.

Mom leaves behind her children Deanna and Wes, (Miho), her brother Richard (Carolyne), and her niece Casey and nephew Ryan.

Since our Dad's passing in 2001, Mom was never able to replace the kind of love she had with him. She spent her last years with family and friends.

Mom loved the ocean and the lakes we visited. We have many fabulous memories of being on the water, either dragging a kid around on water skis or just having a lazy day on the lake/ ocean. Her love of sea shells, strewn throughout her house was evidence of that.

A special thank you to Dr. Thor Fridriksson, the Oceanside Palliative Care team and the NRGH Palliative Care team. Mom spent her last days in the finest and most compassionate care. The family would appreciate a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation - as both our Mom and Dad were lost to cancer.

A celebration of life will be held at the Bayside Resort on Saturday, May 25, beginning at 2 pm, her friends and family are all welcome. Mom will be interned with Dad prior to that in a private family service.

Mom is reunited with the true love of her life, we miss them both.