Jean Galbraith Smith

Jean Galbraith Smith died peacefully on September 16, 2016 after a long journey through the shadowy world of dementia. She was predeceased by her beloved husband George L. Smith and. is survived by her children Timothy Smith (Karen Melamed Smith) and Helen Perl (Adam Perl), her grandchildren Amanda Perl, Greta Perl, and Michael Perl. Just before her death she became a great-grandmother thrice over when Amanda gave birth to triplets: Rory, Audrey and Charlotte.

Jean's life can be told as a journey from one church to another as she refined and redefined her Christianity. She began in El Paso, Texas at St. Alban's Episcopal - a stone's throw from her family home. After her marriage, the family moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi where her children were baptized at The Church of the Holy Trinity. The family then settled in Fort Collins, joining St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Jean and George, together with a few like-minded souls, were moved to create a campus chapel, St. Paul's, which grew into a full-sized church. Years later, they moved on to St. Andrew's in Fort Collins. Jean and George were active in the Episcopal Renewal Movement and helped found the ACRC, an annual renewal conference. After George's death Jean joined the Anglican Mission in America and later became a member of Christ Our Hope in Ft. Collins.
Jean applied her powerful intellect and will to her studies of the Bible and to living her faith - traits she passed on not only to her children but to practically everyone she met (including several priests)! She was loved and respected by her communities, and endeavored to maintain her prayerful practice even during her years of dementia.

Outside of her church activities, Jean loved music, both classical and religious, and the mountains. For most of her life, Jean and George spent a good deal of time at their cabin near Allenspark, hiking and caring for the land. When George retired, they became volunteers at the nearby Wild Basin ranger station, where they became known as the okey-dokey kids (which is how they signed off on the radio). Caring for the trails, loving nature, especially the flowers of the Rocky Mountains inspired Jean to write many poems in her journal, and to provide for some trail improvements in honor of George.

There will be a memorial service in Fort Collins, but the date has yet to be set. In lieu of flowers please make your donations to the Salvation Army or the Rocky Mountain National Park (https://rmconservancy.org).