Colleen Valerie Smith

Colleen V. Smith passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, March 11, 2021 after a long hard-fought battle with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 73 years.

Colleen was born on April 2, 1947 in Calgary, Alberta to William (Bill) and Edith Creighton. She grew up in Calgary’s Briar Hill neighborhood and would go on to graduate from Washington State University with a degree in Social Work.  Colleen’s career would lead her to Edmonton, Alberta in the late seventies where she met her husband of 43 years, Terence (Terry) W. Smith. Terry and Colleen married in June of 1977 and their son Creighton was born in June of 1979. They made Edmonton home until 1995 before moving to Eden Prairie, MN then back to Colleen’s birthplace in 2003.

Wherever they were, Terry and Creighton took meticulous care to ensure Colleen had all she could want or need. The constant love and companionship between Terry and Colleen for the past 43 years of marriage was evident to all who encountered them on their journey. Colleen was an adoring mother to her only son, and cherished every moment spent together. Though her career was cut short due to her M.S. diagnosis, Colleen did not let it stop her from influencing the life of others. Far from it. 

Known for her eye for fashion and sharp wit, Colleen was contagious to everyone she met.  She always had an uncanny ability to find happiness and the positives with everything in life despite the challenges her health posed.  A common refrain for Colleen was “I may have MS, but MS doesn’t have me”, and she lived by those words every day of her life.  She was a daughter, a wife, a mom, an aunt, a grandmother, a friend to many, and a hero to all who knew her.

She had a zeal for life that truly was unmatched. A passion for painting, poetry, music from Bach to Elton to Carreras, her Oilers and Blue Jays, she loved it all….and sweets, she loved her sweets (especially chocolate). Her greatest passion was the life she lived and everything it brought with it, good and bad.

Colleen will be sorely missed and survived by her husband Terry Smith; son Creighton (Hanna) Smith; sister, Marlene (Doug) Duxbury; brother Bill Creighton and late sister in-law Anne Creighton; grandchildren Wyatt, Audrey and Madeline; and her nieces and nephews, Doug, Denise, Corinne, Kimberly, Christine, Michelle and Clayton.

No services will be held at this time. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to the MS Society of Canada (https://mssociety.ca/).

The family would like to thank all the health care professionals for their wonderful care during Colleen’s life. Despite her MS, thanks to their efforts and her own determination, Colleen was able to live a more fulfilling than most.

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