William Smith Obituary

Obituary of William Donald Smith
July 17, 1960 – March 4, 2025
William (Bill) Donald Smith formerly of Oklahoma City and Noble, Oklahoma, departed this life on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 unexpectedly of heart disease in his home in Superior, Colorado where he lived with his younger brother, Tom Smith. Bill was 64 years old. Bill was born in Teaneck, New Jersey on July 17, 1960, while his father was earning his PhD at Columbia University. Bill was the son of the late Donald Edward and Rosemarie (Eury) Smith and was the second child of five Smith children.
Most of Bill's childhood was spent in Evanston, Illinois, where his father worked as a chemistry professor at Northwestern University and his mother worked as a nurse for most of her career at Skokie Valley Hospital. Bill was a graduate of Evanston Township High School, a member of the class of 1978. Throughout Bill's youth, he was an accomplished athlete who participated as an elementary and junior high school student in the Pop Warner Midget Football League and in Little League baseball. During his high school years, Bill played hockey and soccer. Bill was the 1st string goalie for the State Champion Evanston Repro Hockey team where he collected an impressive number of shutouts for the Repros as their netminder. Bill's love of sports included being a devoted Chicago Cubs fan throughout his life and, later, enjoying cheering on his Oklahoma Sooners basketball and football teams.
Bill created joy and adventure everywhere he went and he made close friends easily throughout every stage of his life. Bill had a knack for finding the fun in almost any life experience and his effervescent energy was contagious. His childhood buddy, Steve, and Bill made neighborhood kids laugh during tornado watches and warnings in Evanston by imitating the Wizard of Oz character, Aunty Em, and yelling "It's a Twister, It's a Twister!! Dorotheeeee!!" as storms came in. Bill made tall towers of couch cushions that he and his little sister, Marianne, sat atop of as they pretended they were the announcers while watching the Roller Derby on TV in their basement. As a coach for his son, Braeden's Little League team, he made batting practice fun, and he encouraged all of his young baseball players throughout their seasons. A couple of the kids Bill coached, now adults, contacted Bill's ex-wife, Dana, sharing some of their positive memories of Coach Smith after they learned that he had passed away.
Bill had a thirst for learning many different subjects throughout his life. He was endlessly curious about different cultures and ideas. He attended Northwestern University and completed his Bachelor's and Master's degree in American and Irish History at the University of Illinois. He spent a summer backpacking all over Europe with his friend, Jerry, and returned home with a backpack covered in patches from all the different countries he explored and a plethora of interesting and funny stories including crashing a moped he had rented on the island of Corfu!
Bill had an enormous amount of empathy for people and animals. He felt deeply about the injustices he saw in the world. He did not wear this part of his heart on his sleeve, however, but he eventually chose to channel his passion for justice by pursuing the profession of law at the University of Oklahoma's College of Law where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1993. Bill's law studies included a program he attended at Oxford University in England. Bill practiced law on both sides of our justice system serving as an Assistant District Attorney for Oklahoma County for two years at the beginning of his career, and, later, in private practice as a criminal defense attorney for the rest of his career. He was honored by his colleagues when they nominated him for the Clarence Darrow Award.
Bill embodied a truly caring humility that was a core part of his character throughout his life. He never held himself as more important or above any other human being. It was with this noble sense of humility that he represented his clients. Their rights as citizens of these United States were deeply valued by Bill whether they were victims or defendants.
Bill met the love of his life, Dana Norman Booth, early in his law career. Bill and Dana married in Oklahoma City in 1995 and moved to their home out in the country in Noble, Oklahoma in 1996 where they raised their daughter, Kristy, and their son, Braeden. Bill loved sharing his interests with his family through many fishing trips, coaching baseball, playing chess, watching silly movies, discussing literature, sharing music, and lots of jokes. Bill, Dana, and their kids absolutely adored dogs, and many beloved canines were an important part of their family. Bill and Dana divorced in 2015, but they remained good friends throughout the years.
Bill was an avid and skilled fisherman. He grew up fishing with his dad, siblings, and grandparents in Pennsylvania, on Lake Michigan, and during trips to the Rocky Mountains. His most favorite times were spent saltwater fishing during many annual trips to South Padre Island, Texas with Dana, Kristy, and Braeden. Bill also loved sharing the beauty of Colorado with his brother, Tom, where they enjoyed hiking and fishing together.
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Bill moved to Birmingham, Michigan to live with his sister, Linda, and his brother-in-law, Alec. Bill became a Michigander for several years, and promptly joined in local efforts to support needy families with weekly food deliveries, volunteered at Ascension Hospital COVID vaccine clinics, marched in Memorial Day and 4th of July parades, fished off the bridge in the neighborhood lake (a can of corn kernels was always on the back porch), cared for the two dogs (Rosie gained 2 pounds thanks to all the meatloaf Bill fed her), attended Cubs and Tigers games, and visited Mackinac Island. When Bill's mother, Rosemarie, broke her shoulder, he moved into her condo in Butler, PA for several weeks to be her caregiver while she recovered from surgery. Linda and Alec and their children are grateful that Bill joined their household during that time, and all the fun he brought with his comedic skills.
Asking Bill's nephews and nieces what they most remembered about their Uncle Bill, they all fondly told stories that included their Uncle Bill's goofy sense of humor, his kindness, and how often they remembered laughing with him. Bill's ability to make people laugh everywhere he went was truly a gift. This fact reminded Bill's sister, Marianne, of one particular episode of the sitcom, "All In The Family", which the Smith kids used to watch with their parents in Evanston. In episode 7-19 which aired in 1976, Archie Bunker somewhat awkwardly eulogizes his best friend, Stretch Cunningham. At the end of his eulogy, Archie says:
"I've heard it said that the Blues, you know, having the Blues takes years off your life. And, if that's true, then it must be true that laughing puts some years on your life. And, if that's true, then, Stretch put some years on my life. And, you gotta love a guy for doin' that. So Stretch, I only wish that while you was livin' that I had made you laugh a little more."
It's safe to say that all the family members and friends blessed enough to have had Bill Smith in their lives would say, by Archie Bunker's analysis, that Bill put some years on all of our lives.
And, we gotta love the guy for doin' that.
Bill is survived by the love of his life, Dana Smith, his daughter, Kristy Lewis and son-in-law, Stephen Lewis, his son, Braeden Smith and Braeden's partner, Kenzie Brogdon, his grandchildren Lana, Kail, Beckett, Makena, Everest, and Forrest, all of Oklahoma, his sister, Linda Bender, and brother-in-law, Alec Bender of Birmingham, Michigan, his sister, Marianne Smith-Meehan of Butler, Pennsylvania, his brother, Michael Smith, and sister-in-law, Alyssa Gladstone of Round Rock, Texas, his brother, Thomas Smith of Superior, Colorado, his nieces Lisa of Downers Grove, Illinois and Rachel of Round Rock, Texas, his nephews Michael of Las Vegas, Nevada, David of St. Louis, Missouri, Ryan of Villa Park, Illinois, Sean of Elmhurst, Illinois, Brennan of Butler, Pennsylvania, Caleb of Broomfield, Colorado, and Don of Round Rock, Texas, his great niece, Thea, of Villa Park, Illinois, and many extended family members in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Donald Edward Smith and Rosemarie Eury Smith, and his brother-in-law, Bill Meehan.
Visitation and funeral services will be on Saturday, March 15, 2025 beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Tabor Funeral Home, 75 S. 13th Avenue Brighton, CO. Visitation is from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. and the service begins at 2:30 p.m. (https://www.taborfuneralhome.com).
There will be an additional Catholic Celebration of Bill's life in Butler, Pennsylvania at a time to be announced, and Bill will be laid to rest next to his parents at the St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Donations in Bill's honor may be made to:
Bella SPCA which is a non-profit in Oklahoma City that assists low-income pet owners with the cost of veterinary care: bellaspca.org/how-to-donate. Phone: (405) 496-2615. Checks may be made out to "Bella SPCA" and mailed to: Bella SPCA P.O. Box 20035 Oklahoma City, OK 73156
Catholic Relief Services: support.crs.org/donate. Phone: (877) 435-7277.
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