Gina Smith Welty

Gina Gay (Smith) Welty, died unexpectedly at the family home in Estes Park on September 2, 2025. Gina was born April 18, 1959 to Richard and Martha “Mott” (Caudle) Smith in Melbourne, FL. She was the middle child, a daughter born between two brothers, Eben and Darin, and like her father and brothers, Gina learned to play and excel at golf, a sport she pursued for life.

Gina was a University of Florida graduate. She and her husband, Devin Welty, whom she met on a blind date while a student at UF and married in July of 1981, were truly hardcore Gator fans. If there was a game being broadcast, Gina was watching it. If there was a homecoming reunion, she and Devin attended, but only if they could get tickets to a game. After graduation, Gina worked at the University of Florida Shands Hospital providing microbiology services for patients and the medical research arm of the hospital.

From Gainesville, Fla., Gina, Devin and toddler daughter Karis, moved to Richmond, VA where Devin attended graduate school. Son Kyle was born there before the family moved on to Ann Arbor, Mich., where they learned to thrive in the cold and where Gina became a “horse show mom” helping her daughter with dressage lessons, shows, and Karis’ eventual purchase of her own horse. The family made many lifelong friends in Ann Arbor.

From Ann Arbor, they moved to Foothill Ranch, CA where Gina worked as a consultant for Pfizer, traveling frequently to La Jolla for her job. From CA, where Karis and Kyle graduated high school and went on to greater things, Devin and Gina moved to Boston. Not her favorite part of the U.S., Gina was glad to move from Boston to Estes Park, CO, where she and Devin built their home on land that had been in the Welty family for over 70 years.

From the skills Gina learned from her father, who had a construction business, she co-managed the home design and construction alongside Ray and Lisa Joslyn that led to lasting friendships. The Welty family home became her magnum opus.

On the creative side, Gina had a talent for 3-D printing inspired by a gift from Kyle and gave many of her projects to friends and family. She was also a musician and studied and performed guitar pieces with other guitarists through meet-ups in Boston and Estes, which she initiated, and hosted. With friend Barbara Ayers, she hosted house concerts with emerging bands for friends and other music aficionados.

Dogs always had a special place in Gina’s heart. She was skilled in training them and helped others to learn how. In Estes, she joined Caring Canines and her Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Annie, became a therapy dog. Gina and Annie visited area schools and the public library where children could read to Annie. They also visited individuals and the Good Samaritan assisted living home where Annie would lean in close for petting and bring smiles to residents’ faces.

Gina’s brother, Darin, died in his twenties, a young man in his prime. His death profoundly affected Gina all the days of her life. She was also preceded in death by her parents, father-in-law Frank Welty, and brother-in-law John Morris. She is survived by Devin, Karis, Kyle (Eli Ertl, Evie and Greta), brother Eben Smith (Carol), nephews Eugene Smith (Courtney, Walker), Jimmy Smith (Sabrina, Kip), cousins and dear friends Jill and Jan Caudle, mother-in-law Shalah Welty, sister-in-law Chandra Morris, and two beloved four-legged companions, Annie and River.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday September 14, 12-2PM at the O'Connor Pavilion, 1700 Fish Hatchery Rd. Estes Park, CO 80517. All in the many communities who knew Gina are invited to join the family in honoring her life. In lieu of flowers, Gina would be proud to know that donations in her name are made to Caring Canines: https://caringcaninescolorado.org/donate/

An additional celebration of life will be held in Satellite Beach, Fl at a later date.