Linda Lee Smith

Linda Lee (Harrell) Smith 1942 - 2026

Linda Lee (Harrell) Smith died of natural causes at her home in Boulder, Colorado on Monday, September 28, 2026. She was surrounded by her loving family when she passed. She was 84 years old.

Linda was born to Russell Lowell Harrell and Virginia Lee (Bancroft) Harrell in Washington DC on March 12, 1942. She had two younger brothers, Russell Lowell Harrell III and Donald Bancroft Harrell.

She grew up in Washington DC, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts and Florida, attending Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York, class of 1960. After high school, Linda attended the University of Miami in Florida, where she studied Mathematics, and eventually met Earl William Smith.

Linda and Earl were married in Clearwater, Florida in June 1962, and later moved to Gainesville, Florida, where their daughters were born. Laura Lee Smith was born in March 1963. Their younger daughter, Pamme Lynn Smith, was born in June 1967.

The family moved from Florida to Boulder, Colorado in the summer of 1967. Linda attended the University of Colorado, studying Psychology and Political Science. She became a passionate political activist, member of the League of Women Voters, and involved community member.

Linda developed a love for jewelry and precious stones as the manager of Pieken’s jewelry store on Boulder’s historic Pearl Street Mall. There she met her long time friend Susie Burley, and they soon became co-owners of Pieken’s, a Boulder “must-visit” among jewelry lovers in the mid ‘70s-‘80s.

Linda met her life-partner John “Squid” Thomas Long in 1979. They hit it off instantly, and stayed together for 22 years. She was an important figure in John’s son, Justin’s life from a young age.

In her youth, Linda trained as a classical ballet dancer. Later in life, she became an accomplished painter and many of her works currently hang in the homes of family members and close friends. She loved art, reading, gardening, bird-watching, music, and the mountains of Colorado. She enjoyed traveling and meeting new people, and when that became difficult she found joy in following local sports teams and players. She was extremely close with her family, spending a great deal of time supporting their interests.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Donald (Donnie), and her partner John.

Linda is survived by her daughters, Laura Rubi and her husband Mark of Boulder, and Pamme Crandall and her fiancé Jerry Skaw, and by her stepson Justin Long of Boulder, as well as her brother Russell and his wife Eleanor of Austin, TX.

She is also survived by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Tricia Lee Rubi and her husband David Goluskin of Victoria, British Columbia; Heather Rubi Armstrong and her husband Chad Armstrong of Longmont; Joshua William Rubi of Boulder; and Matthew Crandall. Her two great-grandchildren, Eva Lea Goluskin and Lila Rubi Goluskin, are the daughters of Tricia and David.

Linda was an integral and well-loved member of every aspect of our lives, from her days as a fun-loving and dedicated mom to a highly engaged grandmother and great-grandmother “Nana”. We love her dearly and will miss her every day.