Elizabeth “Lizzy” Ann Smith, 58, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
She was held and surrounded with the love of her husband James, her sons Morgan and Parker and close family and friends as she was granted eternal solace. She directed her life with a 100 percent commitment to making the biggest positive impact on her family and community.
She married James Smith, October 24, 1991, and was the proud mother of two sons. She was a native of Connecticut, raised in Canton, and lived nearly all her life in the Nutmeg State. As a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a masters degree in public administration from the University of Hartford, Elizabeth was a life-long civil servant.
Having started in December 1987, she worked 30 years for the City of New Haven, for whom she was a loyal and dedicated employee with a focus on serving the public and fostering community development efforts. Much of her tenure with the City of New Haven was with the Office of Management and Budget working directly as a liaison between the city, its nonprofits, and HUD.
Elizabeth enjoyed art, cooking, and music. If you were fortunate enough to have ever received a Christmas cookie tin of her made-from-scratch creations you would understand the full meaning of cookie weekend at her house. Each year, thousands of delicate tasty morsels, that were unrivaled among her peers, showcased her baking skills, love, and spirit of the holiday. This also held true with her devotion to bringing birthday celebrations to a new level for her coworkers and friends year after year with homemade cakes. Her love of nature and her green thumb were evident in her office, home, yards, and gardens.
She was preceded in death by her father Roy A. Groth; in-law parents Melvin & Aqualina Smith; and brothers- in-law Uwe Haendler, Daniel D. Smith and Marcelo M. Smith. In addition to her husband James, and sons Morgan and Parker, she is survived by her mother Alberta Groth and sister Earlerae Haendler of Olathe, Kansas. She is also survived by in-law siblings: Donna and Edwin Locke of Kansas City, Mo.; Marci and Bill Nicks of Lenexa, Kan.; Kimberly Smith-Jacobson of San Diego, Calif.; Connie Smith of Wichita Kan.; and Bob & Joann Smith of Albuquerque, N.M.
Her surviving nephew and nieces are Mikaela and Nathan Haendler-Pointer and son Jackson of Gardner, Kan.; Uwe and Jessica Haendler and daughter Lilie of Stanley, Kan.; Aqualina and Ron Thurston and son and daughter R.J. and Amelyia of Bowie, Md.; Porsha Locke and son Cassidy; Eddy Locke of Roeland Park, Kan.; Billy & Morgan Nicks and children Cooper, Sidney and Gibson of Olathe, Kan.; Staci and Brett Kassen and children Viola, Otis & Homer of Kansas City, MO; Emily & Grant Lambert and son Elliot of Lenexa, KS; Taylor & Trey Jacobson of San Diego, CA; Endee & Brad Lyon; Nikki and Jamie Overton and daughter Trista; Tanji Smith and Kyler and Eihan of Wichita, Kan.; Misty and Tom Hayes and son Nathan of Kansas City, Kan.; John and Abby Smith and daughters Gracie, Callie and Kendall of Lenexa, Kan.
She is survived as well and will be missed by the many, many co-workers, friends and loved ones whose lives she touched in so many ways. Lizzy’s belief was that “Angels walk among us disguised as ordinary people.”
A memorial service celebrating Elizabeth’s life will be held in the atrium of New Haven City Hall, 165 Church Street, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Morgan and Parker Education Fund c/o 11 Wooster Pl. New Haven, CT 06511. Share a story and sign Lizzy’s guest book online at www.iovanne.com. The IOVANNE FUNERAL HOME, INC. is in care of Lizzy’s arrangements.
Liz was a truly dedicated public servant. She kept City Hall on a even keel and moving forward. She will be missed.