Luella Herndon Smith

Luella Smith passed away at the age of 90 years while at Catalina Memory Care in Oro Valley, Arizona. Although Luella was born in Upland, California, her family actually lived in a little mining camp in San Francisco del Oro, Mexico, where her father was the mine superintendent. At the camp she went to school in a one room school at the mining compound until the eighth grade. Luella was then sent to live with family friends in Tucson to finish her high school at Tucson High. During her senior year, she met her husband of 66 years, Sidney Smith, on a blind date. Sidney graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in geology and was then drafted into the US Army. While Sidney was serving in the Korean War in Japan, Luella fast tracked her university degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona so they could get married once he returned. They were married in the spring of 1954 and that summer they moved to Jackson, Mississippi where Sidney started his career as a geologist. Soon after, their daughters, Carol and Joanne were born. Sidney’s job required them to move several times over the next few years. In 1960 the family moved to Denver, Colorado. During their stay in Denver, Luella went back to university and completed a Masters Degree in Special Education. In 1966, Sidney was offered a transfer to Pacific Petroleum in Calgary, Canada, so the family moved once again. Luella upgraded her teaching degree and started to teach a special ed class at King George School in Calgary. She had a group of friends that she started swimming with, a passion that she pursued well into her eighties. Luella never did get used to the cold and dark winters in Calgary but she was a trooper who went skiing with her family. During this time, her son, Don, was born. Luella would bring Don to watch his sister’s sports in high school. Most of the time they were the only spectators! Luella was an avid reader. When Sidney retired, he and Luella moved to Oracle, Arizona and built a house on land next door to his brother, Jon. Sidney passed away in March 2021. Luella leaves her children Carol (David) Byler, Joanne (Arnie) Ferster, and Donald (Emily) Smith. Luella was extremely proud of her six grandchildren, Shannon and Julie Byler, Steven and Dan McArthur, and Nolan and Gillian Smith and her two great grandchildren, Crew Leland and Eddie McArthur. Luella was predeceased by her parents, Ralph and Elizabeth Herndon, and her brothers, Tom and Bill Herndon. At Luella’s request there will not be a Memorial Service. The family wishes to thank the staff and caregivers at Catalina Memory Care and Aegis Hospice for their compassionate care of Luella in her last days.