Lester Jeremy Smith

Lester Jeremy Smith was born on July 28, 1972 in Rapid City, South Dakota. He was the second of three sons to Orville and Ardis Smith. Shortly after his baptism at St. Paul Lutheran Church the family transferred to Torrejon AFB in Spain. Four years later they move to Mildenhall, England. Lester was an avid traveler by the time he was 5. In January of 1978, Lester was diagnosed with cancer and the family was transferred to Kelly AFB in Texas, so that Lester could be treated at Wilford Hall, Lackland AFB. After Orville retired from the Air Force the family moved to Denver in July of 1982.

Lester was confirmed at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Littleton, Colorado. In the Fall of 1987 they became members at Our Father Lutheran Church. Lester was a devoted man of faith, that devotion carried with him all of his life. On July 7, 1988 Lester was on a Servant Event in Wildrose, Wisconsin where a fall from a cabin roof left him a C4, C5 complete quadriplegic.

After his accident, Lester attended Denver Lutheran High School for one year, and Cherry Creek High School for two years. He attended the University of Arizona, Tucson, graduating in May of 2000, with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration. He received his Master's degree in System Engineering in February of 2013 from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Lester made a career working for the NSA from 2006 until the present day, first in Maryland, and then at Buckley AFB in Aurora, Colorado.

He enjoyed many sci-fi movies and T.V. shows, loved his dog Blossom, could always be found in a fashionable hat, doting on his niece, or watching a Broncos game. He was also a well accomplished painter of ceramics. Many described him as having an inner joy, who through all of his hardships, still had a positive attitude, which in turn inspired many to change their outlook.

Lester is survived by his parents, Orville and Ardis; brothers, Lonnie and Lyndon; sisters-in-law, Jonna Smith and Erin Henderson; his beloved niece, Riley Anne Smith; 5 aunts, 3 uncles, and several cousins.

Lester died on Monday, May 27th in Englewood. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019 from 9:30-11AM at Our Father Lutheran Church. A funeral service will follow at 11AM, also at Our Father Lutheran Church in Centennial, Colorado.