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Walter Joseph Smith Jr.
We are saddened to inform you that Walter Joseph Smith Jr., father of Dennis '77 and Brian '78 and grandfather of Dylan '11, Connor '12, Erin '14, Charles '16 and Quin '16, passed away on August 12, 2022.
"Walter was born on September 19, 1927, to Walter Joseph Sr., and Catherine Donovan in Newark, New Jersey. After his high school graduation in 1945, Walter enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Great Lakes Training Center in Illinois. After the war ended, Walter joined New York's finest, first as a patrolman and later as a plainclothes officer. He then became a narcotics agent, resulting in the family's move to Littleton, CO., in 1967. Upon leaving law enforcement, Walter worked in accounting, and eventually became a small business owner. At one time, he owned and managed seven Vail Valley real estate properties. In 1954, at a resort in the Berkshires, Walter met Rita McNally, the love of his life. They went on to have seven children: Kevin (son Bennett ) Dennis (wife Ceci, sons Connor and Charlie); Brian (wife Nancy, son Dennis); Theresa (son Quin); Rosemary; Eileen Williamson (husband Michael, daughter Madeline and sons Samuel, Nicholas Walter, and Michael "Jack"); and Carolyn Gust (husband Art, son Dylan, and daughters Erin and Caitlin). Walter was an outstanding athlete. He played semi-pro football for the Ozone Park Bombers. Despite his lean frame and 5-foot-9 height, he was a tenacious defensive end. He was also a talented basketball and tennis player. His love of sports was shared by his wife, children, and 12 grandchildren. A numbers guy, Walter would calculate 7-digit equations in his head, much to the delight of his children. He read the Wall Street Journal religiously and enjoyed trading on the stock market. He was humble and hard working. Walter had a dry sense of humor, and he took great delight in countering his children with a quick retort. In retirement, Walter traveled and played tennis and golf. He enjoyed spending winters in Palm Desert, Calif., where he was surrounded by family and friends. Walter's greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends. He was a man of few words, yet a man of strong conviction – in his faith, in his family, and in the Denver Broncos." Click here to view the full obituary.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 18 at 1:00 pm at Risen Christ Catholic Parish. A reception will immediately follow the service, at the Stony Brook Clubhouse, 4601 S. Yosemite Street, Denver, CO.
Memorial donations may be made to Regis Jesuit High School, 6300 Lewiston St., Aurora, CO., 80016 and Sisters of Saint Joseph Carondelet, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO., 63111, in honor of Sister Mary Rebecca Campbell.
We join the prayers of the community of Regis Jesuit with yours for the repose of Walter's soul and the consolation of his family and all those who loved him. May he rest in peace.
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"Walter was born on September 19, 1927, to Walter Joseph Sr., and Catherine Donovan in Newark, New Jersey. After his high school graduation in 1945, Walter enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Great Lakes Training Center in Illinois. After the war ended, Walter joined New York's finest, first as a patrolman and later as a plainclothes officer. He then became a narcotics agent, resulting in the family's move to Littleton, CO., in 1967. Upon leaving law enforcement, Walter worked in accounting, and eventually became a small business owner. At one time, he owned and managed seven Vail Valley real estate properties. In 1954, at a resort in the Berkshires, Walter met Rita McNally, the love of his life. They went on to have seven children: Kevin (son Bennett ) Dennis (wife Ceci, sons Connor and Charlie); Brian (wife Nancy, son Dennis); Theresa (son Quin); Rosemary; Eileen Williamson (husband Michael, daughter Madeline and sons Samuel, Nicholas Walter, and Michael "Jack"); and Carolyn Gust (husband Art, son Dylan, and daughters Erin and Caitlin). Walter was an outstanding athlete. He played semi-pro football for the Ozone Park Bombers. Despite his lean frame and 5-foot-9 height, he was a tenacious defensive end. He was also a talented basketball and tennis player. His love of sports was shared by his wife, children, and 12 grandchildren. A numbers guy, Walter would calculate 7-digit equations in his head, much to the delight of his children. He read the Wall Street Journal religiously and enjoyed trading on the stock market. He was humble and hard working. Walter had a dry sense of humor, and he took great delight in countering his children with a quick retort. In retirement, Walter traveled and played tennis and golf. He enjoyed spending winters in Palm Desert, Calif., where he was surrounded by family and friends. Walter's greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends. He was a man of few words, yet a man of strong conviction – in his faith, in his family, and in the Denver Broncos." Click here to view the full obituary.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 18 at 1:00 pm at Risen Christ Catholic Parish. A reception will immediately follow the service, at the Stony Brook Clubhouse, 4601 S. Yosemite Street, Denver, CO.
Memorial donations may be made to Regis Jesuit High School, 6300 Lewiston St., Aurora, CO., 80016 and Sisters of Saint Joseph Carondelet, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO., 63111, in honor of Sister Mary Rebecca Campbell.
We join the prayers of the community of Regis Jesuit with yours for the repose of Walter's soul and the consolation of his family and all those who loved him. May he rest in peace.
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Regis Jesuit High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.