Obituary for John Anthony Smerjac Jr. John Anthony Smerjac was born July 25, 1944, in Pueblo, Colorado to his Parents John Sr and Doris. The second of four children, he was raised as an avid outdoorsman, a passion that persisted with him for the remainder of his life. He grew up in Beulah and attended high school in Pueblo where he graduated from Pueblo South High School in 1962.
For college, he attended the University of Southern Colorado where he met his lovely wife of 49. 98 years, Marie. The two were married on April 15, 1968.
John and Marie started their adventures as a married couple with a move to Alaska where the eldest two of their five children were born. It was there that John began his career in education, teaching mathematics in Fairbanks, Tok, and Delta Junction. After 7 years, the family sought a refuge from the dark winters and moved to Wyoming where he had accepted a job as a school administrator.
During their 5 years in Wyoming, they had their daughter. After receiving a job offer, the young family returned to the state in which they had first met, making their permanent home in Castle Rock, Colorado. They soon added two more rambunctious boys to the Smerjac family.
John worked as the Vice Principal of Douglas County High School, in Castle Rock, a position that he held until his retirement in 2002. After his retirement, John and Marie remained in Castle Rock residing in the home that they had built there in 1984. John fully embraced retirement and he and Marie kept very active with world travel, visiting various destinations throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.
In 2007, motivated by fishing and proximity to grandchildren, they returned to Alaska, purchasing a cabin on the Kenai River. John has spent every summer since waking up at the crack-of-dawn trying to hook a big one. Throughout his life, John has always been passionate about his family and faith, with hunting and fishing as a close third.
John was a devoted father and friend. One of his greatest joys in life was sharing his enthusiasm for outdoors with his five children, friends, and eventually his grandchildren. Through his love of the outdoors, John was able to develop a lifelong series of relationships with friends, co-workers, and neighbors who shared his passion for nature and remained some of his closest pals.
John is survived by his wife, Marie Smerjac of Castle Rock; son Steven Smerjac Denise Shaunessey of Atlanta, Ga; son Andrew Smerjac of Denver, CO; daughter Suzanne Smerjac and son-in-law Matthew Haney of Anchorage, AK; son John Smerjac of Denver, CO; son Daniel Smerjac and daughter-in-law Marla Johnston of Centennial, Co; grandchildren Lauren, Mackenzie, Keaghan, Kellen, Kyla, Lena, Margot, and Jacob. Other surviving family members include his sisters Sandy Miller, Rhonda Romero, and Lala Holm along with numerous extended family members. John Smerjac passed away April 7, 2018, after an extended hospital stay.
A memorial service will be held Monday, April 16, 2018, at 11 am at Franktown Seventh-day Adventist Church in Franktown, Colorado for those who wish to celebrate his life. I lieu of flowers donations can be made in John’s name to the Castle Rock Adventist Hospital Foundation, 2350 Meadows Blvd, Castle Rock, CO 80109, who provided excellent, compassionate care. Upcoming Events Memorial 2018 APR 16.
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