A Life Story
Cheryl Dean Smith Born: November 24, 1946 in Lima, Ohio Cheryl Dean Smith died on October 1, 2026 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She was born on November 24, 1946 in Lima, Ohio. She is survived by her children, Jennifer DeMott (Lee) and Jeffrey Smith; by her grandchildren Nathan DeMott, Rebekah Smith and Jessica Smith; by her sister and best friend, Gloria Graham England; and by her brother Gary Graham. She was predeceased by her first grandchild, David DeMott, her brother Gregory Graham, her parents, Ercil Dean Graham and Freda Margaret Graham; and her husband, David Smith. She was a 1964 graduate of Waynesfield Goshen High School. She earned her Bachelor of Sciences in Elementary School Education from Kent State and her Masters Degree in Education from Florida International University. She was a life-long educator with a career that spanned over 45 years with stops in Dayton, Ohio; New Philadelphia, Ohio; Lorain, Ohio; Marathon, Florida; and Deland, Florida. She earned the coveted Monroe County Teacher of the Year award for her exceptional service to the students in that area. She was a true child of the world, as she travelled extensively with trips to many countries, that included Canada, Ireland, and Britain. And she was a lover of cats and dogs. Her last residence was on Wilmington Island, Georgia, in a home that she truly loved and was able to make her own. If you would like to honor her life, please make a donation in her honor to GRRR (Georgia Rescue Rehabilitation & Relocation), a pet rescue that was dear to heart at: www.grrrsavesdogs.org.