Silvana Maria Smith

Smith, Silvana 59 of Paradise Valley, Arizona passed away peacefully on February 21, 2019 after a nine-year struggle with advanced breast cancer. There was not a stone left unturned to find a solution. Soup to nuts, Silvana and her husband sought a way to keep cancer at bay. Whether it was receiving immune building IVs five days a week for years and hours on end, flying to a remote Philippines island, or trying an experimental cell therapy in Mexico, she was given the inner strength to continue on, despite the pain and suffering.

Silvana was born and raised in New York, a place she loved to visit with her husband Jerry. There were so many people, places, and things that brought her joy. They loved to walk a good 14 miles from the upper Eastside to lower Manhattan to have lunch in Little Italy. She would take a long walk over anything else the Big Apple had to offer. Walking meant the world to her. Cancer took that gift from her, but only for a short time. She believed God would restore all that was taken.

Another love was trips with her husband to their Oak Creek Canyon home, peaceful and beautiful beyond measure. They took wonderful yearly trips to their home on the Kenai in Alaska and magical Poipu Beach in Kauai. Both places, a slice of Heaven on Earth for her and Jerry. Yearly trips to her family’s southern Italy farmhouse brought tremendous happiness to both Silvana and her husband. An amazing gift they both got to share each Fall, was to be reunited with her Italian roots, countless relatives and walks on the streets of her mom’s village that dated back to at least 1,000 BC.

Silvana worked for almost 20 years for Valley National Bank of Arizona and eagerly pursed a paralegal degree; she loved the study of law and working for an independent bank.

She was active and devoted to the 12-step programs her entire adult life. She was blessed to have met and grown-up with so many friends in recovery. She felt so privileged to make such deep friendships.

Silvana loved everything connected to the home: gardening, quilting, sewing and decorating. She loved being a mentor for the Master Gardener Program and thoroughly enjoyed attending the Botanical Gardens Irrigation School. Her beloved son Michael would say his mom had so many interests; she turned the house into a community college.

Silvana loved attending services at Scottsdale Bible because Pastor Jamie was such a straight shooter about life and himself. She found his teaching was a tremendous lightening rod to show Silvana the way of surrender and service to the True God. It was no longer “God as she understood God”, a comfortable fit, but rather the God of the Bible. God’s way are not always our ways and that was a spiritual lesson that took her much surrendering to get to.

She also found much joy from her service work at The Franciscan Renewal Center “The Casa”. Organizing and attending the 12 step Retreats at the Casa blessed Silvana’s life for nearly forty years.

Silvana is survived by her devoted husband and caregiver, Jerry, John her son, her mother Teresa, her brothers Anthony and Vinny, stepchildren Cindy, JD and his tireless life partner Mari, grandkids Madi and Laurel, and John’s dad David, her first husband and good friend, and his generous wife, Tina.

Silvana will be met on the other side by the bright light of Jesus, and countless loved ones including her dad, sister Vicki, and beautiful son Michael. Her burning desire in life was to live life big and share that life with others.

A funeral mass, in Silvana's honor will be held at The Franciscan Renewal Center (95802 E Lincoln Dr Scottsdale, AZ 85253) on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 10:00am followed by a graveside service at Green Acres Cemetery (401 N Hayden Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85257). A celebration of life will be held at Grace Chapel at Scottsdale Bible Church (7601 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260) on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 2:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Presidential Prayer Team (www.pray.team/smiths).