Fred Smith

Fred was born in Newport News, Virginia to Bessie Trussell and Samuel Smith. He had two sisters and two brothers from his mom’s first marriage and a half-brother from his mom’s second marriage.

Fred’s parents divorced in 1935 and his mom moved the family from Newport News to Hampton, Virginia. Bessie and his Uncle Cash ran his grandparents’ grocery store until 1939 when the grocery store closed due to the Great Depression. Bessie married Seth Pearce, who became Fred’s stepdad.

Fred was working at the Newport News Shipbuilders and Drydock Co. learning to be a welder. At the age of 18, he joined the National Guard. A couple of years later, Fred enlisted in the U.S. Army and was in Optical School in St. Louis, where he met Joan Mulholland at a USO Club Dance. During his Army career as an optician, he was deployed to Korea twice. Upon his military retirement, he owned Fred Smith Optical in Fort Collins, Colorado for many years. He returned to Civil Service to provide vision ware to active duty soldiers during Desert Storm.

Fred grew up as a Methodist and converted to Catholicism a week before he married Joan. They were married in St. Louis, Missouri at the St. Louis Cathedral. They had eight children: Frederick “Tom” Smith; Joan Marie Smith, who preceded both of our parents in death in 2006; Nancy Baranczyk (Wayne); Susan Gordon; Mary Ellen Wild (Greg); Janet Wilson (Brett); Mark Smith; and Kathleen McGuire (Jessie). Fred is survived by seven grandchildren: Alex Wild (April), Suzanne Smikahl (Kenny), Oliver Baranczyk (Kate Petty), Melissa Kincaid (Kirk), Matthew Gordon, Elena Rao (Tristan), and Aiden Smith. Fred also has five great grandchildren: Xander and Rocco Wild, Linus Baranczyk, and Noah and Theodore Kinkaid. Fred is also survived by his half-brother, Seth Pearce.

Fred and Joan traveled extensively during his 23 years in the Army. They lived in Landstuhl, Germany, arriving with two small children and having three more while living there. The majority of their lives were in Denver, Fort Collins, and Loveland, CO. Fred and Joan loved living near the Rocky Mountains.

Fred was an active member at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loveland. He was part of the RCIA team at one point and an active member of the Knights of Columbus in both Fort Collins and Loveland. Fred also delivered Meals on Wheels for several years.

Funeral services will be held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loveland on Friday, May 12, 2023: Rosary at 10:00 am, Funeral Mass at 11:00 am, reception afterwards. Full military burial will be on Monday, May 15, at Fort Logan National (military) Cemetery in Denver.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Birthright of Loveland, Northern Colorado Catholic Charities, and Pathways Hospice, c/o Allnutt Funeral Service.