Dan Smith

On Monday, June 1st at 12:30 pm, Dan Smith, our dreamer boy, finally found some well-deserved rest, even more comfortable than he was in any bed. As everyone who reads this knows, Dan was truly one in a million. He was never boring, therefore, to understand Dan, you have to understand that he was a quiet warrior who lived his twenty-four years to the absolute maximum- using his bright, uncontainable energy, humor, and love for wild adventure to fill his days with laughter and a fierce love for life. His lifelong motto was, “If you have a problem and then you get mad, you now have two problems.” He mastered the art of always letting go of things he could not control. For the past twelve years, Dan quietly rose above his seizure disorder, hemiplegic migraines, aphasia, memory deficits, balance issues, and a severe sleep disorder. Instead of letting his problems define his life, he channeled the weight of his physical and emotional pain into rock climbing, writing songs, turning his silent battles into humor and using laughter as medicine. Dan was a true climber, refusing to stay at the base of the mountain or simply grieve the weight of what was broken. While he felt the heavy burden of his physical pain, he chose to ascend with strength, resting when he was weak, but always rising above the noise to reach for the present moment. He used every ounce of his energy to channel his mind away from depression and into the world around him, leaving behind a blueprint for how to live with radical resilience. Dan’s childhood: (By Myrlene) As Dan’s mother, I was honored to have the opportunity to raise such a wonderful son. Dan always treated me with kindness and respect. Throughout his life, he showed unconditional love, compassion and empathy. Dan was never one to show anger, just understanding. He didn’t judge, instead he loved. Dan never said a bad word about anyone; he looked further into their soul and saw the beauty within. He knew when someone needed help and was quick to act. Dan’s goal as a young boy was to become a mechanical engineer. When he started having health issues, he had to change his course and look in a new direction. He never complained and kept an upbeat and optimistic personality even after many doctors’ visits over the course of many years. It was at that time that he found passion in rock climbing. Dan met so many climbers who became a source of strength for him. His love and friendship in this community was unconditional. He made friends easily and so many of them called him brother. We were so incredibly happy when he met and fell in love with his wonderful wife, Lexi. They were like peanut butter and jelly; You couldn’t pull them apart. They had so many adventures together. She brought so much happiness into his life and ours. I am forever grateful to her for giving him immense joy for the remainder of his life. Dan is also my joy, my hope in dark times, my everything. My love for him runs deep and I will always cherish the time we had together. Every moment. Every day. Dan lived so you would never know about his quiet battles and spent his life teaching those around him how to channel their minds away from depression and into the world around him. He channeled his mind into everything he touched—nature, pottery, steel jewelry, woodworking, song writing, or a perfectly timed one-liner. He taught himself to play the piano, cello, guitar, and saxophone all by ear. He loved every living thing, and was recently caught catching a snake, a salamander, and 20 crane flies who were stuck inside a trailer just to set them free. Although he is not physically here with us, Dan’s calm, methodical voice and his unwavering love are permanently woven into how each of us live our lives. Early Years & Artistry: (By Brian) The mind of a Creative is a strange and wonderful place. Dan’s love and respect for the natural world defined his childhood, adult life, and inspired his artistry. Dan had the ability to see beyond the obvious and find the childlike wonder in it. He would look at a tree trunk, a chunk of iron, a silver wire or a wood scrap and see its beautiful potential. Then he would dedicate 100% of his energy to turning that into reality. He was born with the innate ability to bring beauty out of the ordinary. This philosophy didn’t begin and end with objects. This is how he saw people. He saw through one’s exterior to the beautiful soul full of light and potential. A compulsive teacher and mentor, Dan always tried to share the joy he felt by teaching those around him. This often manifested itself in impromptu lessons in music, climbing, jewelry, pottery, metalworking, or woodworking. Dan lifted those around him all of his life, channeling compassion and empathy into those in need. The most important person in the world to Dan was whoever he was with. Since his passing, that love has been flooding back in through those he touched, and we will be forever grateful. As his wife, Dan taught me to treat any friend like they were our family. If we saw someone Dan knew, didn't matter if we had just seen you yesterday or if it had been years; he would stop in his tracks and say, “Lex, it’s _____! We gotta say hi!” He would then proceed to introduce me to you with his signature southern drawl, “This is my wife!” Dan, I’ve been told by many of your friends that our love was the best and that you were never happier than when you were with me. I obviously didn’t see you when we were apart, so I’m happy I could make you so happy. Our love will always be in the rest of the love stories I will ever write. I know that on days that I miss you I will still say to myself, “We really did live happily ever after.” Although you are not here to give me your physical hand to hold, I know you will be as constant as the sun and moon. Our love will be as strong as the granite rocks to give me strength when I feel weak. You will always be my Hercules-helping me move mountains and strengthening my universe. Our adventure may have been cut short, but the depth of what Dan and I shared cannot be measured in years. Through every high and low, he encouraged me to share what was on my mind and taught me how to be a true listener. I learned to trust him as we climbed rocks and belayed one another. He gained all of my trust, both emotionally and physically, and I gained his. Dan, I am the keeper of your mannerisms now; Our love story is not over; it lives on every time I choose peace over anger, or I place my hands on the rocks we once climbed. We would love it if you could join us as we celebrate Dan on Saturday June 13th at Contact Climbing Gym in St. George, UT. In the spirit of his creativity, feel free to bring a poem, tell a joke, show off your art, play a song, bring a rock, and most importantly, remember your favorite story of Dan. The Viewing: 5:00 PM-6:30 PM. To enter, follow the cairns (stack of rocks) on either side of the sidewalk to guide your way and enter through the back doors of the yoga room. The Celebration of Life: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM. You may enter through the main front doors. In his honor, catch a fly and let it outside, check on a friend, or find a rock to climb (Dan will give you bumpies); and when you have a chance, stack some rocks - Dan will love all his cairns.

Dan Smith

September 20, 2001 - June 1, 2026