In Memory
Glenn Ellen Smith 77, of Napa, California passed away on Friday, September 13th, 2019 after a long battle with cancer. Glenn Ellen graduated from Napa Senior High School in 1960. She was retired from Pacific Bell after 35 years. She attended Hopewell Baptist Church.
She is survived by her partner and love of her life for 53 years, Marvin Smith of Napa Ca. She is preceded in death by her parents Glen and Helen Gray, and only daughter Kimberly Kay Smith.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, September 25th at 1:00 pm at Treadway and Wigger Funeral Chapel on the grounds of Napa Valley Memorial Park 2385 Napa, Ca, with pastor Mike Ray Officiating. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tn.
Richard "Dick" Curtis
There is nothing that I could add to what you so elequantly said Arlie. I only knew Glenn Ellen since the seventh grade. She was always really nice and fun to be around.
James (Jim) Pearl
As large flakes of snow fall this morning here in Northern Idaho, I ponder again Glenn Ellen. I also ponder our original class of about 530+ classmates—many now also passed on.
Now this early snow is special/unusual. Normally, we get snow about Thanksgiving. Glenn Ellen is also special in her caring for her Classmates, as mentioned by Arlie, Dick, Bonnie, and many others of you!
As Glenn Ellen is a follower of JESUS CHRIST and had Fellowship with other Christians, perhaps now, she would have us to consider our Eternal Destiny. I do. I turned “77” on the day of Glenn Ellen’s funeral.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of our faith...”
I believe that Glenn Ellen is now one of that “great cloud of witnesses” in Heaven, mentioned in Hebrews 12, cheering her Classmates on, just as she did on Earth!
It will be 60 years, next year, since we graduated in 1960! As Glenn Ellen indicated in her life on Earth, You, her Classmates, are also Special! She wants to see You and your Families in Heaven with her someday!
Jim Pearl
Ed Fell
Darlyne Fong (Heath)
A fitting addition to Glenn Ellen's memory ... THANKS ... Darlyne (Fong) Heath
Claudine Friel (Crom)
Like Darlyne, this is a lovely tribute to Glenn Ellen. I know she is missed by all of us. She had to leave all too soon. Thank you for posting this! Claudine
George "Buck" Vaile
Glenn Ellen was a sterling person. I did not come to Napa High until my senior year after the death of my step-father. Glenn Ellen was one of the many people that befriended me. I have appreciated her kindness and friendship for my entire life. We had many wonderful talks over the years that I stayed in Napa and I always looked forward to the opportunity to see her again and catch up at the class reunions. My sincere condolences to her husband. The world has reason to be a little sadder as the result of her passing, but I am sure that there are many spirits beyond that rejoice over her return. Buck Vaile
Anne Ehrlich (O'Brien)
Glenn Ellen lived around the corner from me on Pacific St. We had many wonderful adventures riding our bikes around the neighborhood. One of our favoriet activites was riding over to California St where we would tour the new homes there. We especially enjoyed using the intercom system. Glenn Ellen's parents took me on the train with their family to visit relatives in Southern Cal during spring break. I think that was in eighth grade. She was a fun girl and a fun lady and a special friend.
Darlyne Fong (Heath)
Glenn Ellen (Gray) Smith
Hello, my name is Darlyne (Fong) Heath, many of you know me just as Dee.
On behalf of my husband Jimmy and I, we would like to express our condolences to Marvin, Glenn Ellen’s husband, who was the love of her life and who was always there for her no matter what.
I first met Glenn Ellen in 1954, when we were both 12 years old starting 7th Grade at Napa High School and ready to take on the world!
For the past 65 years I have been blessed to have had Glenn Ellen as a “true” friend, through the ups and downs that life brings. The first “Our Napa High Gang” started in about 1954 with 5 of us (me, Glenn Ellen, Audrey Frost, Anne Ehrlich, and Barbara Burgin). Through the years, this group has grown to 10 of us. As 12 year olds, going on 16 so we thought, we would traipse down Main Street on Saturdays, peering into the Roberta Shop and Marlene’s Dress Shop and wondering what the dresses on the mannequins would look like on us. We would then continue our walk to get our favorite chocolates at Partrick’s Candy store, and finally stopping at Burrell’s Fountain on 1st Street grabbing our favorite booth and ordering our usual French Fries and milkshakes. Life was so good and we didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
Upon graduation from Napa High School in 1960, each of us went our separate ways; some went on to pursue our dreams in other places while Glenn Ellen pursued her dream and held down the fort in our hometown Napa. Though we were apart by distance, our friendship continued as though we were still classmates and seeing one another daily. New technology helped too so our letter writing was replaced with emails and texting. We celebrated all the events that one has as they pursue their dreams, both happy and sad, but we were always there for one another.
Because of Glenn Ellen’s involvement with the Class of 1960 Alumni Association, she always made sure that we would be attending any and all reunions. I think that is how our little group (“Our Napa High Gang” **) grew and endured through all these years. Though miles separated us, we still tried to get together at least annually to “meet and eat”, catch up on various events happening in our lives, and reminisce and laugh at all of our school year capers.
This past year and a half has weighed heavily on me; because this is when I found out from Glenn Ellen that, as she called it, “her darn sarcoma” had returned. There were so many ups and downs throughout her illness, but even with the many medical treatments she tried and endured, her determination, strong faith in Jesus, sense of humor and her love for Marvin; it was not meant to be for her to be physically healed from cancer here on earth.
I am so glad that I was able to visit with Glenn Ellen at the beginning of August. We once again were like those 12 year olds, trying not to act like the 77 year olds that we really were, reminiscing, laughing, and a little tearing up once or twice. I was utterly amazed at how she could remember most of our school year capers, many of which I am still trying to believe I was in on!
Prior to our visit in August, in one of our many long telephone conversations and in emails, Glenn Ellen did tell me that “she had come to grips with the fact that she may not survive, but that she had been saved and knew that she would be with Jesus.” Knowing that she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior thus guaranteeing that she has eternal life and happiness, and that she is free of all her pain and suffering brings me much comfort. I will still miss her, but look forward to the day when I will see her again in heaven.
Once again I would like to express our condolences to Marvin.
The bible says in 2nd Corinthians 1 verses 3 to 4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation”
My prayer for everyone is “May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, comfort each of us by giving us strength, encouragement, and hope as we grieve the loss of Glenn Ellen, wife, mother, and a true friend.
Darlyne K. Heath (Dee)
** “Our Napa High Gang” Through The Years
Thomas Johnson
Glen Ellen was always somewhere around as I walked the long halls of Napa HIgh. She was always friendly whether you were the "in crowd" or just a nerd. I am so happy to see that she was a strong believer in the Jesus Christ of the Bible. I read this little sermon at Mike Blacks funeral who was another believer in the saving grace of Jesus Christ and I truly miss him.
WE LET THEM GO
Oh death, why do you touch the tree where the weary seek shade and rest? Why do you snatch away the fruitful trees? If you must use your axe, use it on the trees that yield no fruit. We might even thank you for that. But why do you cut down the good cedars of Lebanon? Spare the righteous; do not use your axe.
But no, death takes the best of our friends. The most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, and the most devoted must die. Why? Because of Jesus' prevailing prayer in John 17:24: "Father I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am." It is this prayer that bears our loved ones on wings to heaven. Every time a believer leaves this earth for paradise it is an answer to Christ's prayer.
A good old Puritan remarked, "Many times Jesus and His people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say, 'Father I desire that Your saints be with me where I am.' But Christ says, 'Father, I desire that they may be where I am' " Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes with the Lord. The loved one cannot be in both places.
Now what prayer would you choose to have answered? If the King were to step from His throne and say, "Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to each other, which prayer should be answered?" I am sure that even in agony you would say, "Jesus, not my will, but Yours".
You would give up your prayer for your loved one's life if you realized that Christ is praying in the opposite direction. "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am."
Lord, You shall have them. By faith we let them go.
Sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon - 1865
Now some of you, as you approach the end of your lives may be so so on this "Jesus thing". but as Jesus said in John 14: " I go to prepare a place for you, if it were not so, I would have told you, and if I prepare that place for you, I shall surely come and take you to be with me." From my days in the Napa Fire Department I have seen real examples of the validity of this comforting statement by Jesus, so dont ignore this Biblical assurance and dont be lulled into the "everyone goes to heaven when they die" philosophy. "Seek the Lord, while he may be found." If you dont understand this, contact me. Tom Johnson
Donald Inglis
It was good to read the comments & Testimonys and bring back alot of memories of Gleen Ellen. Of course I knew her in high school but got to really know her because we both worked for the phone company.
She was Loved by so many people.