Claudia Smith Obituary

Claudia Lee Bischoff Smith

1951 - 2023

Claudia was born on February 19, 1951, in Salt Lake City, UT to Gordon Paul Bischoff and Leila Evelyn Limb.

She passed away on November 1, 2023, in Lehi, Utah after battling the debilitating effects of Frontal Temporal Dementia for many years.

Her immediate family members were blessed to say their heartfelt and tender goodbyes earlier in the evening. Claudia passed away peacefully in the early morning hours with her husband of 54 years at her side.

Claudia graduated from South High School in the class of 1969. Immediately following graduation, she married her high school sweetheart David C. Smith on July 1, 1969, in Salt Lake City. They were later sealed in the Jordan River Temple on April 22, 1983.

Claudia worked for Walker Bank for 10 years as a bank teller. For the next 20 years, she worked as a teacher's assistant at Hartvigsen School in the Granite School District. She worked with children with special needs, and they loved Claudia dearly. She had a deep love for the special children she worked with and would often take them overnight to her house so their parents could have a date night. This example of acceptance and unconditional love was taught to her children and grandchildren through these selfless acts.

In the summer of 1998, Claudia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy and a brutal 6 months of chemotherapy. After the cancer and her treatments, she was unable to return to work.

When one door closes another door opens.

Not being able to go to work allowed her to devote her time to being the very best grandma to her 8 wonderful grandkids who affectionately gave her the name Grandma Luv. She had a deep relationship with each of her grandkids who loved her dearly. She loved to spend one-on-one time with each kid and spoil them with Jazz games, sleepovers, trips to the mall, movies, and of course heaping servings of ice cream. Claudia put her family and their lives at the forefront of her own life and was constantly supporting them. She would make multiple trips throughout the week to volunteer in their schools, attend their various events, and take them on special outings. Seeing grandma, you were guaranteed to be greeted with a big hug, and a wet kiss on the cheek.

Claudia had a deep sense of knowing when people needed a friend or a kind act of service.

She made hundreds of blankets for those who were struggling or in need of kindness. She had a unique gift to receive and act on promptings to rescue those who were in need of comfort.

Claudia loved holidays and traditions with her family. Her incredible Halloween parties (you better come in a costume, or you were sent home), included the entire family dancing, in costume, to The Monster Mash. She loved birthdays with cake and of course, ice cream, lots of presents, and having the family gathered together. She loved traveling with her husband and family. She spent many summers in Yellowstone camping, Bear Lake, Jackson Hole, Banff Canada, Glacier National Park, Switzerland, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and Disneyland to name a few.

As her dementia progressed and she started to slip, she was not able to do the many things that brought her joy and happiness. Supporting and cheering on her grandkids at games, rooting for the Jazz, traveling, and watching her grandkids overnight became difficult and then impossible. The disease robbed her of her ability to take care of herself, recognize faces, speak, and express herself. Her husband lovingly cared for her as long as he was able and then made the difficult decision to move her to Bellaview Assisted Living and Memory Care.

A very special thank you to Claudia's daughter Becky for her love and unwavering devotion in caring for her mom. She visited Claudia faithfully through the many difficult stages of the disease and was always there offering her love and support. Thank you to Bellaview and the nurses and staff that attended to her care for the last 3 years. One of those special nurses was Claudias granddaughter Chloe, who worked there as a CNA and was able to provide care and create a deeper and more special bond with her Grandma Luv.

She spent the last three years of her life there and passed away with David by her side.

Claudia is survived by her husband David Craig Smith, brother Dennis (Jeri) Bischoff; children Craig (Jessica), Becky, and Michael (Starr), and her grandchildren Blake (Jasmine), Devin (Sydni), Carter (Kylee), Chloe, Lennon, Holland, Blu, Memphis and 2 great-grandchildren Bo and Sloane.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, take someone you love to get ice cream.

A viewing for Claudia Smith will be held Friday, November 10, 2023, from 6-8PM at the Bennion East Stake Center located at 5980 South 1300 West Taylorsville, UT 84123. The funeral will be held Saturday November 11 at 12:00 PM with a viewing from 10:00-1145AM. Interment at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom. Please visit Claudia's obituary page at www.larkinmortuary.com