Cheryll Lynn Smith

Cheryll Lynn (Jones) Smith was born on February 9, 1944 on Fort Knox, Louisville, Kentucky as her father was getting ready to ship overseas to Europe during World War II. Cheryll passed away, at age 80, on the morning of October 23, 2024, in Great Falls, MT.

Raised in various locations throughout Kansas and Colorado, Cheryll lived and experienced many things during her long lifetime. Growing up, she had many pets, including her favorite horse, a giant black racehorse, named Black Ball. She often told the story of Black Ball "going on a rip" for over a mile while she clung to the saddle as a little girl and how thrilling it was to ride a racehorse like that. As a young woman, she graduated from Emporia State Teacher's College where she received a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and served as an attendance monitor. Her job as attendance monitor introduced her to the love of her life, Robert "David" Smith, who was chronically late to class so he could gain the attention of the pretty young monitor. Dad swept her off her feet, literally. Much to the chagrin of our grandparents, the first real date Mom & Dad shared was flying a state away for burgers in Dad's Piper J3 Cub, Ole' Yeller. They loved that airplane - we have referred to it as "the first-born child". After Mom & Dad married, they quickly completed their Master's Degrees in Elementary Education and moved to Jeddah, Saudia Arabia, where they taught for the Parent's Cooperative School. In 1969 while still residing in Saudi Arabia, they began welcoming children into their lives with the birth of their eldest daughter, Amy. Living in Saudia Arabia allowed the small family the opportunity to travel the world. Mom would tell stories of safaris to Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, as well as numerous trips to Europe. Upon return to the United States, Amy was quickly followed by the birth of Scott and then Julie. The travel adventures did not stop in Africa - the family transferred and moved regularly throughout the United States due to Dad's employment with the US Secret Service and US Customs Service. Throughout those years, Mom held the family and home together with grace, wit and a never-ending supply of love and patience. She made many friends in the many places we lived. Mom almost single-handedly raised all three of her children, as Dad's work to support the family kept him away from home for long periods of time. She took great pride in the accomplishments of each of her children - Julie serves as an Electrical Engineer for the Bonneville Power Administration, Scott serves as a Colonel and is Commander of the 120th Wing of the Montana Air National Guard, and Amy earned her Master's Degree and serves as the Director of Learning for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.

Following retirement, Mom & Dad formed a business, Smith Aviation & Testing, where she helped many young pilots obtain their FAA pilot training certifications. After closing the flight school, they traveled extensively throughout the United States for Dad's contract work. We are confident that there is not a single quilt shop in the western United States that Mom hasn't visited during their travels.

As her children grew and moved into adulthood, the family expanded to include grandchildren, and in 2023, her very first great-grandchild. If you thought she was proud of her children, nothing could hold a candle to the pride she had for each of her grandchildren and the joy she found in being a great-grandmother. Her smile would light up a room when she talked about each of her grandsons carrying on the family aviation legacy, Megan's love of sewing and Katy's love of horses.

Mom was a wonderful seamstress who made many of our clothes growing up and made outfits, bags, and other necessities for her grandchildren. She put her sewing skills to use helping Dad recover Ole' Yeller several times throughout her life (she was probably one of very few women who know how to sew sleeves out of Stitz fabric to cover airplane wings).

Her true passion was quilting, though. She gifted many people with the beautiful quilts she made by hand. She was particularly focused on making quilts to comfort people who were experiencing cancer or who had lost loved ones to cancer. She made these quilts and sent them all over the United States while she herself battled cancer four different times. Each of her grandchildren received quilts for special occasions, including great grandbaby Alice.

Those of us who spent her final years with her were blessed to have witnessed her silent strength and determination. All throughout her treatments, she never complained and was always the same -- loving, generous, and patient. Indeed, her final words were instructions to make sure her grandson, Nicholas, completed Basic Training without interruption due to her passing and "I love you and your Dad".

Cheryll is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years, David, Ole'Yeller, daughter Amy & son-in-law Doug Matt, bonus son Troy Meade, grandsons Brandon & Justin Smith and PVT Nicholas Rubeck (Montana Army National Guard), granddaughters Megan Smith Collie (Kyle) and Katy (Rubeck) Smith, great-granddaughter, Alice Collie, best friends - Lori Farrington & Sue Ahlers, and her Border Collie, Mr. Jackson.

In accordance with her wishes, a small, private, celebration of life will be planned upon Nicholas's return from military training obligations in the spring of 2025.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Sletten Cancer Institute, Great Falls, MT, where Mom received remarkable care throughout her long, courageous battle.

Fly high Mom -- I love you.