Mark W. Smith

Mark W. Smith of Thornton, Colorado passed away on November 7th, 2021 at Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton, Colorado. He was born on June 16th, 1973 at Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colorado to Gary and Marsha Smith. Mark spent his childhood in Loveland, Colorado and on his grandparents' farm in Chugwater, Wyoming. He graduated from Loveland High School in 1992 and then achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in chemistry in 2002.

Mark met the love of his life at the Medical Center of Aurora on September 26th, 1997 where Susan was an EMT student. They were inseparable from day one and were married on August 8th, 1999. Mark and Susan shared a typical marriage of ups and downs, always with laughter and endless love for one another. Mark and Susan were blessed with two wonderful children. Kayley Athea Smith was born on May 9th, 2000 and Charles-Jay "C.J." Bradley Smith on June 29th, 2004. Mark and Susan shared the responsibility of embarrassing their children with their mushy displays of affection towards one another any chance they got. Mark was extremely proud of both of his children and often bragged about their most recent achievements. Kayley followed in her daddy’s footsteps and became an EMT. Mark was proud to have the opportunity to work with Kayley at Platte Valley Ambulance and to not only be her father, but also her mentor. C.J. also took after his dad in the brains department. C.J. is a wizard in math and physics. C.J. was also a competitive gymnast and Mark loved to watch him practice and often bragged about C.J.’s skills. The Smith family has always had a unique dynamic and are very close, always honest and open with all they do. Mark was a father first and foremost, his children being his number one priority. Mark loved his family deeply and brought laughter to the household daily.

Mark had several passions in life including cars and motorcycles which he would work on and then subsequently crash. A friend said “anything we did with Mark was an adventure.” Mark loved NASCAR, building remote controlled airplanes and gaming. Mark also had a passion for helping and caring for others. He served as a first responder for a total of 30 years, the last 14 years were spent serving with Platte Valley Ambulance Service in Brighton, Colorado.

Whether Mark was teaching, working on the ambulance, raising his family, being a husband or any other countless tasks he would take on, he was always an inspiration and did what he could to put a smile on other’s faces. Mark was known for his sarcastic humor and personality, always teasing and making life fun. To all who knew him, he was kind, compassionate, loving and an all-around hero.

Mark is survived by his wife, Susan; his children, Kayley and C.J.; his in-laws, Charles and Bettylou Lebeda; his brother, Shelby (Carrie) Horner; his parent, Verginia Horner; his close friends, Joe and Sean Muzydla; countless other relatives and his birth mother, Marsha (Del) Smith-Franz.

Mark is preceded in death by his fathers, Denny Horner and Gary Smith, as well as his grandparents.

A memorial service for Mark will be held Wednesday, November 17, 2021, 11:00 AM at Orchard Church, 12405 East 120th Avenue, Brighton, CO 80640.

Please keep the Smith family in your thoughts and prayers as the times ahead will no doubt be difficult to navigate. Hold tightly to one another and as Mark would say, "BE MORE GOODER!!!"

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