Kenneth Robert Smith

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather Kenneth Robert Smith passed away on October 12,2019.
Born on September 16,1926 in Baldwin, CO, Ken Smith had a full and rich life. At the age of 17 in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the Navy and found himself floating in the Pacific surrounded by sharks after kamikaze fire sunk the USS Luce. He decided at that point to pursue a career in meteorology and spent the next 20 years in the Navy rising to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer as a trusted weatherman around the world.
Meanwhile at the age of 21 he married the love of his life Mary Esther McMurry and began his family. They were married 71 years, and gave rise to 6 children, 9 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren with one on the way.
His retirement from the Navy brought him back to his home state of Colorado. There he utilized the GI Bill and got a degree in accounting from CU and rose to the position of Vice President at the 1st National Bank.
He will be sorely missed for his generosity, loyalty, and outstanding work ethic that gained him the respect of all who knew him.
He is survived by his loving wife Esther Smith, his children Marilee Gilman, Debi Reep, Denise Givant, Kelly Smith and Shawn Smith, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.