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Valerie Smith
Reese Smith
March 6th, 1943 - December 27th, 2020
March 6th, 1943 - December 27th, 2020
Long-time Marin resident Reese Smith died of heart failure on Sunday, December 27, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. He was 77. His wife of nearly 40 years, Ann Bergstrom, survives him as do his four daughters, Lee, Ambler, Valerie and Luda and two grandchildren, Camilla and Oscar.
Originally from Virginia, graduate of University of Virginia, Reese first moved to Sausalito in 1978 when he began work at Levi Strauss & Co, where he remained until retirement. He and Ann moved to San Anselmo in 1982, where they lived until 2015. He considered Ann his best achievement in life; they navigated many waters together. Reese was involved in numerous Marin projects. His favorite was as a leader of the Millennium Park playground build. At Levi's, he orchestrated the first benefits package for same-sex and unmarried couples in any Fortune 500 company.
In 2015, he and Ann moved to Washington State. While leaving behind Muir and Stinson beaches, and the support of the AA community — at his death he was happily 10 years sober — he took with him his love of the 49ers, his woodworking tools, and his (favorite) dog Dexter. In their Washington years, Ann and Reese traveled, studied geology, and enjoyed a serene life. Reese will be remembered for his alligator shirts, the sound of change clanging in his pockets, his love of English history and Wagner's Ring, and his generosity that will live on in the lives of many. His friends and family are very sad to see him go.
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Tributes
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Malene Terciano Cara
Reese was our director at the Benefits Dept. in LS&Co. I want to share this picture to show the fun side of Reese. He was with MaDonna Goya and his team at the opening of Levi Olympics in August, 1985. He will be remembered as a jolly good fellow and an innovator. My heartfelt sympathy to Ann and family. May Reese rest in eternal peace.
Paula Schafer
The annual Bowl For Kids' Sake was always a great fundraiser. Here's a pic of the team from 1989. One of my other good memories of Reese is all the sound financial education he provided at LS&Co. I will always be grateful. You'll be missed.
Georga Williams
Reese is my younger first cousin. My father was his father’s brother. Reese’s brother, A. Lee, was more my age. Reese and I had an email relationship and it was my pleasure to have had this sort of impersonal relationship with him. It seems important to me to keep in touch with family even if there are many miles between us. Even though our political views differed! He would send me a short email every now and then re: President Trump...”are you fed up with Trump yet.” “ who are you going to vote for in the 2020 election?” He knew full well who I was going to vote for but he liked to needle me a bit. I’m sorry he did not live to see President Biden in action. I am sad to have no first cousins on the Smith side now. I am very sad that he is gone. My sympathy to Ann, Lee, Ambler, Valerie, and Luda. Love, Georga
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