Zina Marie Elliott (1952-2019)

Zina was born in Denver, Colorado, and lived in Glenwood Springs during her early years, and then in Gunnison, Colorado, where she attended her third grade class year as a member of an observation class of the Western State College.

In 1961 she moved to Cedaredge, Colorado, and later to Glenwood Springs, and then to Grand Junction, In High School she was honored to be a part of the All-State Orchestra and traveled to several special performances. She graduated from High School in 1971 and received a scholarship to Mesa College.

After graduation she worked at the American Baptist Convention Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin; there she met a Scotsman and they traveled in Scotland and Europe during the winter. In the summer of 1973, while enrolled in Colorado Mountain College, she was involved with an Exchange Student project in Mexico. Then in the fall, while enrolled in Mesa State College, she suffered from a cancerous growth on her Hypothalamus gland located on the top portion of her spinal column. After preliminary operations she was airlifted to Denver, where there was the only CAT scan in Colorado at the time. They were able to remove some of the cancerous growth and after completing seven weeks of radiation therapy, she was able to return to Grand Junction and complete her Mesa College studies and an AS Degree. Because of these operations and later radiation, she was informed she might develop balance problems later in life and would not be able to conceive. She entered Colorado State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics.

Returning to Grand Junction, Colorado, she entered the Real Estate field with Mountain Realty. During this time she did considerable volunteer work, including at Grand Mesa Christian Association and in Alaska with the Christian Camping on Woody Island near Kodiak, AK. She often volunteered and taught craft projects in nursing homes located about the Grand Valley. It was during this time that she met Kenneth Smilie.  They were married in 1981 and lived in Collbran, Colorado, for over 35 years. She was an active member of the Molina Baptist Church. Zina was employed at the Collbran Job Corps as a Clerk in their Commissary for many years. As time progressed she developed difficulty with balance and the use of her arms; a serious fall sent her to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, and eventually to Palisade Living Center and Aspen Ridge Living Center, Grand Junction. While there she, sometimes, could help some of the residents cope with the situations they found challenging.

Father: Richard Elliott

Mother: Vonnie

Spouse: Kenneth Bruce Smilie

Brother: Mark Elliott