Zulema F (Flores) Smith
Marriages
Merle A Smith
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3C - February 6, 2011
Zulema Flores Smith, age 73,
passed away at her home in Loma
with her family at her side.
Zulema was born in Alice, Texas
to Manuel and Andrea (Barco)
Flores. She graduated from William
Adams High School in Alice
in 1956 and Charity Hospital
School of Nursing in New Orleans
in 1959.
After several years of working as a Registered Nurse for various
hospitals in Texas and the Chicago area, she joined the Peace Corps
and served in the Dominican Republic from 1965 to 1967. It was
there she met Merle A. Smith. They married in 1967 in Alice and
started a family.
Zulema's professional focus then turned to public health and she
worked for public health and human services agencies in Colorado,
Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. She returned to school to earn a
bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University in 1990 and a
master's degree in public health from San Diego State University in
1991.
After raising her children, she and Merle moved to the Grand
Junction area in 1996. Zulema became active in the Latin-Anglo Alliance,
Child & Migrant Services and Habitat for Humanity. She
served on the boards of Girl Scouts of the Chipeta Council, Marillac
Clinic and the Western Colorado AHEC. She continued working as
a public health nurse for the Colorado Department of Public Heath
& Environment until her retirement in 2010. She was a dedicated
community servant. She especially enjoyed serving the Hispanic
community and being involved in her church, Sacred Heart in
Fruita.
Zulema was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers,
Miguel and Sixto Flores. She is survived by her husband of 43
years, Merle A. Smith; brother, Lalo Villalon and wife Beva of Corpus
Christi, Texas; brother, Manuel Flores Jr. of Alice; sister, Lucia
Rennison and husband George of Houston; son, Andy Smith and
wife Laura Smith of Loma; daughter, Teresa Smith and husband
Eric Rouse of Littleton; son, Tomas Smith of Grand Junction; and
four grandsons, Evan and Henry Smith of Loma, and Ethan and Seth
Rouse of Littleton.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her
name to the Grand Junction chapter of Habitat for Humanity, P.O.
Box 4947, Grand Junction, CO 81502.
Visitation will be at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary from 4 - 6:00 p.m.
on Monday, February 7, 2011. A rosary will follow at 7:00 p.m. at
Sacred Heart Church in Fruita. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, followed by burial at the
New Elmwood Cemetery in Fruita.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7A - February 7, 2011
Zulema Flores Smith, age 73,
passed away at her home in Loma
with her family at her side.
Zulema was born in Alice, Texas
to Manuel and Andrea (Barco)
Flores. She graduated from William
Adams High School in Alice
in 1956 and Charity Hospital
School of Nursing in New Orleans
in 1959.
After several years of working as a Registered Nurse for various
hospitals in Texas and the Chicago area, she joined the Peace Corps
and served in the Dominican Republic from 1965 to 1967. It was
there she met Merle A. Smith. They married in 1967 in Alice and
started a family.
Zulema's professional focus then turned to public health and she
worked for public health and human services agencies in Colorado,
Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. She returned to school to earn a
bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University in 1990 and a
master's degree in public health from San Diego State University in
1991.
After raising her children, she and Merle moved to the Grand
Junction area in 1996. Zulema became active in the Latin-Anglo Alliance,
Child & Migrant Services and Habitat for Humanity. She
served on the boards of Girl Scouts of the Chipeta Council, Marillac
Clinic and the Western Colorado AHEC. She continued working as
a public health nurse for the Colorado Department of Public Heath
& Environment until her retirement in 2010. She was a dedicated
community servant. She especially enjoyed serving the Hispanic
community and being involved in her church, Sacred Heart in
Fruita.
Zulema was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers,
Miguel and Sixto Flores. She is survived by her husband of 43
years, Merle A. Smith; brother, Lalo Villalon and wife Beva of Corpus
Christi, Texas; brother, Manuel Flores Jr. of Alice; sister, Lucia
Rennison and husband George of Houston; son, Andy Smith and
wife Laura Smith of Loma; daughter, Teresa Smith and husband
Eric Rouse of Littleton; son, Tomas Smith of Grand Junction; and
four grandsons, Evan and Henry Smith of Loma, and Ethan and Seth
Rouse of Littleton.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her
name to the Grand Junction chapter of Habitat for Humanity, P.O.
Box 4947, Grand Junction, CO 81502.
Visitation will be at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary from 4 - 6:00 p.m.
on Monday, February 7, 2011. A rosary will follow at 7:00 p.m. at
Sacred Heart Church in Fruita. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, followed by burial at the
New Elmwood Cemetery in Fruita.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A - February 5, 2011
Zulema F. Smith, 73, Loma,
died Feb. 3, 2011, at her home.
Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. Monday at Callahan-Edfast
Mortuary. A Rosary will be read
at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic
Church in Fruita. Services
will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the
church and burial will follow at
New Elmwood Cemetery.
Mrs. Smith was a public
health nurse.
Survivors include her husband,
Merle; two sons, Andy
of Loma and Tomas of Grand
Junction; one daughter, Teresa
Smith of Littleton; two brothers,
Lalo Villalon of Corpus
Christi, Texas, and Manuel
Flores Jr., of Alice, Texas; one
sister, Lucia Rennison of Houston;
and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can
be made to Habitat for Humanity
in care of P.O. Box 4947,
Grand Junction 81502.
