Regina Sue Smith
2/14/55 – 3/13/24
Regina Sue Smith
Regina Sue Smith (Susie) was born on February 14, 1955 in Williamson, West Virginia to Geneva Darlene Thompson and Arnville (Pete) Oswald Shortridge. Susie passed peacefully on March 13, 2024 in Bellevue, WA surrounded by family.
Susie is survived by her husband Doug Smith, son Shawn Smith (grand-kitties Xay-Ha and Wolfie), daughter Tamara Smith (Randy Compton and grandchildren Ridge and Romy), sister Jimmi Buys (Lawrence), brother David Shortridge (Terri), brother Rick Shortridge (Barb), and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Susie was preceded in death by her father (Pete), mother (Darlene) and sisters Brenda Lawler and Candi Carpenter.
She was raised in an Air Force family, spending her childhood living in Texas, Michigan, Florida, the Philippines and others, settling in Arnold, Maryland in 1969.
After high school Susie worked as an administrative assistant at FBI Headquarters in Washington D.C., then at the San Diego and Seattle FBI field offices before having her children. She later worked 16 years as a para-educator for the Lake Washington School District where her loving, energetic, and organized nature made her an excellent educator. She impressed staff and students alike with her backward free throw on the court. Susie also served in dozens of positions at Church over the years, including as Primary President, in Kirkland, WA.
Susie met Doug at church, they began dating in 1979, and married on November 1, 1980 at the United States Naval Academy, and were later sealed together with their children at the LDS Temple in Washington DC. For most the 1980s, they moved around the country for Doug’s work. At each location Susie adapted to find community and work, making new friends and a welcoming home at each place, both in and out of church.
In the late 1980s they settled in Kirkland, WA to raise their family. After Tamara & Shawn graduated high school, they moved to Woodinville, WA, where Susie continued working a few years before retiring; then enjoyed volunteering at the Homeward Pet Adoption Center, church and other organizations. Susie was a regular at the local YMCA.
From a young age Susie loved being a homemaker and took pride in having an immaculate home to welcome family & friends. Her family affectionately referred to her as the Laundry Fairy and the Energizer Bunny. They will forever cherish the care she put into her home and love showered on guests.
Susie always enjoyed music and dancing, especially with loved ones. She loved going to church and Naval Academy dances and even entered competitions (including polka). She would often do her famous high kick and funny impersonations to get a laugh from friends, but to the embarrassment of her kids.
She loved to laugh and enjoyed a good joke, but when telling herself, would often start laughing so hard she couldn’t finish, and everyone laughed just the same – her laughter so contagious! Susie did funny impressions, some of her family’s favorites being John Wayne’s True Grit and her rendition of Enjoli perfume “Bring home the bacon” jingle.
She was an excellent cook. During the holidays “Susie’s Kitchen” was filled with the smell of her baked cookies and cream cheese bread, which she lovingly packaged and timely mailed to her children.
Over the last 12 years, Susie prioritized more time with family and friends across the country, especially her precious grandchildren Ridge & Romy. She was over the moon to become beloved Grandma Susie. Despite an ocean between them, plus the global pandemic, she thrived in this role, creating loving, secure and meaningful relationships with them.
Susie was an intelligent, beautiful, complex and vibrant person who loved to love. Her kindness, empathy, generosity and her loving spirit will be truly missed. Her physical absence will be sorely missed, but her legacy of love will live on through her dearest family and friends.
Susie is to be interred at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Washington State dressed in her Temple robes, to be followed by the love of her life Doug when the time comes. While we grieve Susie’s loss this day, we have Hope through Christ forever and ever – Amen.
God speed our dearest Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin and Friend Susie – our Queen of Hearts!
Memorial Service for close family and friends at Barton Family Funeral Service in Totem Lake, Kirkland, WA 2 pm Tuesday 3/19/24. Modest flowers are appreciated; blood bank donations will be requested at a future date in Susie’s honor.
Internment Service and Burial at Tahoma National Cemetery 10:15 am Wednesday 3/20/24.
By Sister Jimmi, Daughter & Son Tamara & Shawn, Son-in-Law Randy, and Husband Doug
9 Responses to “Regina Sue Smith”
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Me heart goes out to the whole family. I know Susie will be missed dearly. She loved you all so very much.
I will miss Susie’s contagious smile and loving spirit. I will miss our lunch dates and shopping that we have been doing together for over 20 years. You were a wonderful friend and I am incredibly grateful for the time we had together.
Doug, Tamara, and Shawn, I know you are heartbroken for the loss of your wife and mother. Susie loved you fiercely and her whole focus was on her family. What a blessing to be the recipient of that love.
Rest peacefully Susie. I love you.
I met Susie at church in January of 2013, I have met a few people in my lifetime that I feel like my soul already knew them. Susie was definitely one of these people and she came into my life at a very dark time. She’s been a ray of sunshine in my life for over ten years and stood by my side through some really tough times.
I took her to the YMCA and we exercised together for almost 5 years. I also took her to doctors appointments and other appointments she couldn’t get to by herself, but she served me far more than anything I could ever do for her.
Susie knew how to love unconditionally. I will never forget her and will follow her example for the rest of my life.
Love you so much Susie. You will be dearly missed but forever in my heart.
Susie was a compassionate soul who touched the lives of many. She was a devoted mom, wife and friend. She showed unconditional love even to the most toughest kids. I had the honor of working with her and considered her my ‘work-mom’ which turned into a true friendship. I will miss the birthday, holiday and Mother’s Day greetings from her. Her legacy of kindness and unconditional love will live on forever. I love you, Susie! Until we meet again!
My friend Susie.
Doug and I met through work. One weekend, Doug called me and asked me if I wanted to meet him at a marina in Everett and tour his “boat”.
That is when and where I first met Susie.
Clad in white boat shoes, dark blue wind breaker, and wind tousled blond hair, she held a ceaseless mona-Lisa smile as Doug proudly showcased his 2nd love.
I left the marina that afternoon convinced of the following: This was an inseparable man and wife; This wife stood firmly by her husband’s side; uh – and that boating wasn’t her first love.
Our relationship drew closer over the following months, stretching with fond memories to years.
Afternoon barbeques on Doug and Susie’s backyard deck, Salmon on the grill, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob followed by Susie’s confectionary creations for dessert. Had her kitchen been inspected by the health department. it would have garnered the first 6-star rating.
Susie was the master of the home. A home she oversaw with a white glove. She lead through example following what Saint Thomas of Aquinas extolled namely, “cleanliness is next to godliness”.
For fourteen years I would run and get my vacuum cleaner and hurriedly push it around my house when Susie and Doug would say they were coming over. I think she is now in heaven, sitting to the right of Saint Thomas, and that I am a little better housecleaner because of Susie.
Susie knew well that I doted upon my feisty by sociable tortoise shell cat, Pixie. Susie had a huge heart for animals, and she poured it out on Pixie. When Susie came through the door, my cat’s tail would raise straight as a pole in the air, she’d run to Susie and just wrap herself around Susie’s leg. Pixie was an independent soul who would passively allow me to pick her up, but would quickly fidget and demand to be put down. One year I vacationed out of the country for 3 weeks. Doug and Susie volunteered to look after Pixie while I was away. They knew that in my home I had an internet camera that was motion activated and that would send me video clips.
I never felt so warmed as when after receiving a message on my mobile phone while lying on a beach 4000 miles away, I viewed the video and in it, there was Susie bent down with Pixie, like a baby snuggling in her arms. Every couple of days, the same thing – the phone would alert me to a video message and there was Susie cuddling my cat.
In 14 years of friendship I never heard Susie utter a negative word towards her husband. There were a few times that sparks seemed to shoot from her eyes, and I suspected that Doug hadn’t heard the end of it, but in public her outward actions were always of restraint, and full of grace.
Susie, you have an extended family in my home. I will miss you terribly, will forever remember you, and will try to follow your lead in calm restraint and in cleanliness. I cherish the time we spent together and look forward to the day we will again meet.
Love,
Cal
Aunt Susie will be greatly missed but I know her and my mom are dancing and singing together again. Sending so much love to you all.
While I’ll miss your physical presence here, I know that you are enjoying your reunion with Dad, Mom, Brenda, Candi,and many other members from our extended family. I know that you are celebrating being on the presence of your Lord and saviour. I love you Sis!
Aunt Susie, I will miss our phone chats listening to you update me on your grand babies, you’re pride and joy. I will always think of you and smile as I am cleaning since Dad and I have joked over the years that I got the Aunt Susie cleaning gene. You were such a strong women and went through so much, but I have peace knowing that you are now restored and with your heavenly father. Love you and will see you again!
How do you say goodbye to someone you’ve known and loved your entire life? Being your sister has been an integral part of my being, and I am heartbroken that you are no longer here. I miss you so much, but am comforted by my faith that you are in a better place surrounded by our loved ones who have gone before you. Rest in peace, Sis, until we meet again. I love you!
So saddened to learn of this loss…. Susie was a bright light and dear person.