Clifford Smith
courtesy photo
Clifford Smith
POLSON — Clifford Dale Smith, 67, of Grand Junction, Colorado, passed away in his home surrounded by his family on Dec. 3, 2016 after a long battle with cancer.
Born in Hamilton, to Walter and Mary (Ballard) Smith, Cliff spent most of his childhood in Ronan, where he was a decorated athlete in several sports including football, basketball, baseball, and track. He graduated from Ronan High School in 1967 and attended Montana State University.
During the 1970s, Cliff traveled the country performing several odd yet interesting jobs while also keeping his love of sports alive by playing semi-professional baseball in Metaline Falls, Washington.
In the summer of 1981, his travels led him to Rawlins, Wyoming, where he took up work in the uranium mine. It was there he met his future wife Elizabeth Huffman. The two wed on Aug. 27, 1983, in Aspen, Colorado, and moved to Parachute, Colorado. The following year, they welcomed their first daughter, Jennifer.
Realizing his love of numbers, Cliff returned to school and earned his degree in business finance from Mesa State College in 1986. He welcomed their second daughter, Kristin, in 1987 before the family moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, to follow Elizabeth’s career. In 1989, their third daughter, Erin, was born. He remained a devoted stay-at-home father until 1997 when he joined Rocky Mountain Health Plans as an accounting clerk.
Passing down his passion for sports to his daughters, Cliff was a beloved soccer coach for his youngest daughter for over 13 years. He spent many years traveling across the state for her competitive games as well as across the country for tournaments. Just as he was a successful athlete, he was a successful coach, leading his team to several championships and awards. However, he often said his greatest achievement as a coach was watching his girls grow up to be ladies.
Cliff enjoyed carpentry and working with his hands, using his skills to remodel much of the family’s home over the years. He felt most relaxed when he was fixing something or working on a new project and could always be found with a notebook full of sketches and plans for home improvement ideas. He was also known for his sense of humor, his jokes and witty remarks bringing so much laughter and joy to those around him. Similarly, he was always there to lend a helping hand, a sympathetic ear, or offer hard-learned wisdom to his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Elizabeth; three daughters, Jennifer (Garrett) Erickson of Arvada, Colorado, Kristin Smith of Arvada, Colorado, and Erin Smith of Arvada, Colorado; sisters, Pat DuMont and Nancy Shepard, both of Charlo; Annette (Okie) Sellars of Prague, Oklahoma; Barb Cromer of Columbia Falls; Sandy Scheffel of Thermopolis, Wyoming; brothers, Bruce ( Jo) Smith of Glendive; Earl Stepp of Butt; Ralph Smith of Ronan; Wayne Smith of Norwalk, California; two grandsons, Grant Erickson and Pierce Erickson; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. His parents Walter and Mary Smith, and brother Niles Smith precede him in death.
A memorial service was held Sunday, Dec. 11 at Lincoln Park. Memorial contributions may be sent to HopeWest Hospice. The family would like to thank Dr. Andy Mohler, the medical staff at St. Mary’s Hospital, Anschutz Medical Campus, and University Hospital in Salt Lake who helped give Cliff an extra 25 years of life.
