Vivian Alda (Elder) Smith,

August 26, 1929-May 30, 2016

Our beloved mother Vivian Smith was called home to the Lord just after midnight May 30, 2016, after a brief, but devastating illness. She was surrounded by her family and blanketed with love.

Vivian was a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was an aspiring painter, an avid container gardener, the ultimate ranchers’ wife, and an inspiration to her family. In her younger days Vivian loved dancing, rock hunting, picnics in the mountains, wading in streams, panning for gold and flying kites. She adamantly saw to it that all her children had the opportunity to attend college and wished only the best for those she loved. Later in life she took special pride in her grandchildren and their accomplishment. She loved her cats.

Born in Dallas, Texas to Earl and Lois Elder, and the oldest of three girls Vivian, and her family moved to Oklahoma when she was four years old, and later to Alamosa, Colorado. She graduated from Alamosa High School and attended Adams State College. She began her career as a telephone operator, but resigned in order to relocate with her parents to the west coast in 1952. Packed and ready to leave for California, she suddenly decided on a different path in life and married Robert N. Smith of Bountiful, CO upon his return from the Army and service during the Korean War. They were married two weeks after his return, in Taos, NM and remained together more than 42 years. They had 9 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

After her youngest daughter began school, Vivian returned to the workforce. She was with the US Postal Service as a clerk in the La Jara, CO Post Office and later as Post Master in Saguache, CO totaling more than 20 years’ before retiring.

She is proceeded in death by her parents, Kevin and Lucille Thomlyn (f.k.a. Earl and Lois Elder), her sisters Edna Elder and Kasandra Haynes (f.k.a. Mary Zimmerman), her husband Robert Nathan Smith, and two of her sons Nathan Earl Smith and Byron Robert Smith.

She is survived by her children Sam Smith and his wife Geraldine of Romeo, CO, daughter-in-law Cindy Smith of Bountiful, CO, daughters Sharlene Smith of Manassas, VA, Sharon and Robert Shipley of Manassas, VA, MaryAnn and Richard Asher of Grand Junction, CO, Susan and Gary Landon of Edgewood, NM, Carole and Doug Jones of Alamosa, CO, Nancy and Wayne Perdasofpy of Bloomfield, NM, her grandchildren Robert and Elaine Landon and family of Rio Rancho, Tiffany Landon of New York City, Cody Smith and fiancé Jennifer Keen of Bountiful, Co, Nathan Smith of Bountiful, CO, Eleanor Megan Smith of Albuquerque, NM, Wendy Williams and family of Texas, Dustin Bishop-Smith of Bountiful, CO, Rebecca Popovich of Alamosa, CO, and Caitlyn Godsey of Alamosa, CO and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Services will be held at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in La Jara. A Vigil Service with Recitation of the Rosary will be Friday June 3rd at 7:00 pm with a Mass of the Resurrection Saturday at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at the La Jara Cemetery. The family asks that donations be made in Vivian's honor St. Judes Childrens Hospital. The care of the funeral arrangements has been entrusted to Rogers Family Mortuary of Alamosa.