Zane Smith

Zane Silas Smith, beloved son and brother passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. He was 25 years old. Zane was born December 8, 1995 in Glendale, Arizona. He attended school in Gilbert, Arizona as well as Murray, Utah before moving to Springfield, New Jersey where he graduated from Jonathan Dayton High School. While living in Utah, he developed a love for rugby. During his years playing for Wasatch Rugby and Union Rugby clubs he grew into a strong, but gentle young man who used his strength to help others throughout his life. He loved that rugby required holding firm, with nothing but the brute strength of your teammates, pushing forward to protect the player with the ball. Zane was good at putting his head down, squaring up his shoulders, and keeping others safe. He also managed to break his nose twice, get a concussion, blow-out his knee, and required stitches in his head. After graduating high school, he worked for Bison Flooring and served a mission in the Washington Seattle Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His first day in this mission, unfamiliar with the bike and the terrain he took a spill from the bike and the first pictures that his mother received of Elder Smith were showing him with a new set of stitches in his head and both a sprained and a broken wrist. Still, he squared up his strong shoulders and pushed through to the successful end of his honorable mission. He taught many people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and always wanted others to know that things get better and they were loved. Those who were in Zane's circle, knew they were safe and that they were loved. While he struggled to verbalize his feelings as openly as some, he showed that love in countless ways. He accepted everyone and encouraged others to be more open, less judgmental, and to just be happy because they were together. It was enough to just be together. After his mission, Zane attended BYU-Idaho and has worked at Target for the past 3 1/2 years. He loved the friendships he found at both college and work. They mourn his passing alongside his family. Everyone was family to Zane, and he is survived by two families that will miss him dearly. Clarissa and Matthew Olson, of Spartanburg, SC, and their children: Parker Smith, Emma Olson, Katherine Olson, Greyson Eckert-Olson, Jane Olson and Romy Eckert-Olson. David and Mindy Smith, of Queen Creek, AZ and their children Vanessa and Ben Betteridge, Hannah and Jacob Boyd, Jeremy Lunt, Camberley Smith, and Ephraim Smith. Zane had two nieces, Lillian and Penrose Betteridge. He is also survived by his great-grandmother, his grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. A small, private family service will be held on Friday, April 9, 2021. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to your favorite charity, or to The Trevor Project https://give.thetrevorproject.org/give to help provide mental health care and help for youth who need it most. Zane was a big fan of the McElroy Brothers podcasts, especially The Adventure Zone. He would have been especially glad to know that a TAZ quote will be used to memorialize our "Middlest Brother." "When someone leaves your life, those exits are not made equal. Some are beautiful and poetic and satisfying. Others are abrupt and unfair. But most are just... unremarkable. Unintentional. Clumsy. Where Lup went, she didn't intend to end up there, and she certainly didn't intend to spend as much time away as she did. But from your perspective? Lup was there and then the next day she wasn't. And you searched for her, tirelessly, painfully so- but she was nowhere to be found. And all you had to go on was a note that she left behind on the kitchen table. Its two-word message offered no clues to her whereabouts, but a simple promise that was left unfulfilled: back soon." -Griffin McElroy Floyd's North Church Street Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Zane Silas Smith please visit our Sympathy Store.