Debra Renee Smith, 49

Debra Renee Smith died Friday, Aug. 5, 2022.

She is survived by her youngest son Kyle, husband Joshua, mother Sally Sorenson, stepfather Paul Sorenson, brothers Richard and Coke Crawford Jr., and many other loved ones, family members and friends.

Debra was preceded in death by her oldest son Campbell Smith, and her father Coke Crawford.

Debra Renee Crawford was born in Moscow, Idaho, on March 17, 1973. She lived in Moscow through her eighth grade year, enjoying many years of travel basketball, softball, and spending time with family and childhood friends. It was in Moscow around fourth grade when Debi and her friend, Debee Rice, came up with unique spellings of their names to set them apart from the other Debbies. Debi was a bright, smart, caring, athletic and loving child. In 1987, she moved with her parents to McMinnville, Oregon, where she lived with her dad as she went through high school. Debi’s high school years included stints on the softball team and a tight-knit group of close friends. In high school, she started working in her free time at Figaro’s Pizza. She worked at various Figaro’s throughout high school and college and was dubbed the “Best Pizza Maker in the West,” by her family, later in life. Debi graduated high school in 1991 and moved an hour south, to Corvallis, Oregon, where she put herself through college at Oregon State University. Growing up, Debi had always loved and found comfort in drawing house plans, so much that she studied and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Housing Design degree. At OSU, Debi joined Kappa Delta Sorority and once again met a new group of lifelong friends. Through Debi’s sorority sisters, she later met her future husband, Joshua Smith, and they were inseparable. Debi and Josh were married in July of 1999, and recently celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary. After college, Debi worked in the insurance business a number of years, but always thought of the work as a job, rather than a career.

In September 2002, Debi and Josh moved to Kalispell to follow a career opportunity for Josh. Montana felt like home from the day they pulled into Bigfork with all their possessions in a moving truck, towing their Isuzu Rodeo. On Nov. 21, 2003, their first child, Campbell, was born and Debi found the career that she absolutely loved and excelled at; Debi became a mom. Kyle came along four years later, and Debi’s heart and plate were full taking care of her family, but somehow she still found time to manage the books for Josh and Debi’s business. In addition to her children, Debi was also a lover and protector of animals. She kept an extra leash in her car, just in case she came across a lost or disoriented dog on a busy street that needed help finding its home (this happened often). There are too many stories to share that capture Debi’s essence and the good times her family shared with her in the Flathead Valley and beyond. The one constant in all the memories of Debi is her love for Josh, Campbell and Kyle, and how she was always more worried that they were taken care of and had everything they needed more than anything else. Debi Smith will be remembered for her huge heart, electric smile, unrelenting kindness, generosity, style, stunning beauty, and how she always made way too much food for gatherings to make sure everyone had enough of exactly what they wanted. Debi’s life ended way too early, but she will be forever loved and missed by her family and friends. Rest easy, Debi, we love you.

Debi will be laid to rest at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell next to her son, Campbell, following a private service