Obituary: Gregory Daniel Smith

Smith

November 17, 1951 – June 19, 2021

Greg learned early that we live in a world where URU and IMI and together we are 1. Or another way to look at it is that it is all a magic mirror, as anyone can see that IMU and URME and together we are ONE. He saw our lives as magical, mystical, and “fantasual”. Through his “photography eyes” Greg saw beauty everywhere – clouds, always clouds; the bark on trees; Aspen Glo from the setting sun; rainbows; snow crystals in the dry air on a February morning; the sun reflecting rays from our kitchen faucet; and faces everywhere.

His life was love and he leaves behind many who loved him as well: brothers Paul (Magnolia) and Roger (Karen) Smith; soul brother, cousin Johnny Widyn; son by choice and favorite adventure partner, nephew Adam Smith; nieces Rachel (Brandon) King and Haley Smith; all of the Widyn and Smith cousins; special friends across the country and in our valley; religious and spiritual leaders from all faiths who inspired him; and his doctors here and at CU Anschutz who gave him the best of medical care. Greg was loved, admired, and treasured by his wife and partner of 21 years, renée fleisher (who called herself a “lucky duck” from the moment they met in February of 1998), their adoring dog, Koji, and her children Brandon (Lisa) and Courtney (Peter) Fleisher. Greg felt the world had too many people, so his sons were from the Aspen Buddy Program: Richard, Josh, and David, each one contributing to the world with ideals and skills learned from their “big buddy”. Greg was preceded in death by his loving parents Jeanne and Sid Smith and mentor “ililil”. Greg, the Snowmass Custom Builder, obsessed over homes where loving families could live and gifted joy through his alter ego, Cloudly.

Greg was late to everything, but too early to his passing — he was always so totally in the moment he was experiencing: mastering the jumps on his mountain bike in the Snowmass Bike Park; dancing through the moguls on Fabio’s Desire; listening to the needs and thoughts of anyone whether friend or stranger; or marveling at Nature’s star or moon-lit sky. Scorpius was our favorite constellation and also marks the month of Greg’s birth. A special and heartfelt thank you to the 24 members of Mountain Rescue, Pitkin County Sheriff’s department, and the Basalt police over 12 hours to find Greg’s body that was somehow lost during a bike ride up Snowmass Creek Road: probably from a seizure in his Temporal lobe. Greg loved biking and the beautiful evening that day sent his spirit on that ride.

A joyful celebration of Greg’s life will be planned for fall. Donations to any fund that promotes the halt of global warming, preserves nature, enacts gun control and advocates for world peace would honor his memory and life goals. Soar high beautiful spirit who has left us a life to cherish and millions of hugs heart to heart.