Kenneth Bruce Smilie

The friends and family of Kenneth Bruce Smilie are sad to announce his death on December 21, 2022. Ken was born in the immediate wake of World War II at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado on September 8, 1945. He was the son of an army officer, Charles R. Smilie of Merino and Fort Collins, and a native of Mesa County and Grand Junction. His mother was Mary Currier Smilie. Ken attended Ottawa University in Kansas and served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Era. Though not in combat, he put in duty mostly overseas in Germany as a chaplain’s assistant.

After the military he had numerous occupations in the area including ranch hand, various construction-related jobs, and driving school bus in Plateau Valley, including driving to away games for sports teams. For many years he worked at the Collbran Job Corps as the commissary manager, both selling to the resident trainees and stocking the goods for the store.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Zina, and his parents and two siblings, a sister Lorelyn Smilie of Ottawa, KS, and brother David Keith Smilie of San Carlos, CA. He is survived by a brother, Michael of Loveland CO and numerous cousins and Curriers of Mesa County and other parts of the United States.

Ken’s ashes were interred at Veterans Memorial Cemetery in a ceremony on Jan 25th. In addition, there will be a memorial service at Molina Baptist Church (53039 KE Rd Molina, CO) on Saturday, Feb 11th at 10:00 AM with refreshments served downstairs afterward.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.callahan-edfast.com for the Smilie family.