George G. Smith

He was born to the late Alvin (Gib) Smith and Marion Barth, on January 1, 1937 in Perry, IA. George graduated from Perry High School in 1955 and joined the United States Air Force in 1956. While stationed at Norton Air Force Base he met and married Judith A. (Kuehne) Smith in Redlands, California, September 1958. They lived together in various states until they settled in Illinois, then Minnesota and finally Colorado.

George became an air traffic controller after being trained and then honorably discharged from the Air Force in April 1961. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in Chicago Center and then the center in Farmington, Minnesota until he retired in 1989. After retirement, George worked in Boulder, Colorado doing warehouse inventory for eleven years before he retired for good.

George loved to farm and work with his hands. He liked to work in his garage and build things, including toy boxes for his grandchildren, bookcases, decks and whatever else his family needed. He loved sports, especially football and coached his children’s baseball and softball teams when they were young. But his main source of joy was having his family, including children and grandchildren, gathered around him.

George was preceded in death by his father and stepmother, Alvin (Gib) and Lois Smith and his mother Marion Barth Smith Moorman. George is survived by his loving wife Judith Smith of Aurora, CO; his children Jacqueline (Jared Steinberg) Sene of Denver, CO; David (Jenna) Smith of Centennial, CO; and Melanie Smith Nichols of Fort Collins, CO; two ex son-in-laws, Lee Nichols of Fort Collins, CO and Alassane (Rewa) Sene of Denver, CO as well as five grandchildren; Omar, Sophie, Grace, Stella, and Emma. He is also survived by his Sisters, Eleanor (John) Roberts of Perry, IA; Sarah (John) Neu of Milford, OH; Dixie (Denny) Nelson of Gravois Mills, MO and two brothers William Smith of Grand Junction, IA and Rick (Linda) Smith of Gasville, AR.

Flowers may be sent to the funeral home listed below. If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or any military organization of your choosing.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 26 at Olinger Funeral Home, 8600 East Hampden Avenue, Denver, CO 80231 303.771.4636 olingerhampdencemetery.com with a reception following the memorial.