Cj Smiley

CJ Smiley, age 84, passed away April 16, 2021. He was born on November 11, 1936 in Science Hill, Kentucky. In 1945, the family moved to Denver, CO due to health reasons and needing to live in a drier climate. They lived in Englewood and Smiley graduated from Englewood high school.

In 1958, Smiley welcomed a son from a previous marriage, Steve McCarthy. In 1963, Smiley met Shirley Miller at a Safeway store he was setting fixtures in Loveland. It was love at first sight, they had a whirlwind romance and wed March 9, 1963. Shirley also had a son from a previous marriage, Donald Terry, that was born in 1954. In 1964, they had a daughter Valerie.

Smiley was a very hard-working man. He started his own company in 1972 called Metro Fixtures. The company specialized in setting up grocery stores. The company did everything from setting fixtures to installing all the freezers and checkout areas. The company also went back and refurbished stores for marquee companies such as King Soopers and Safeway. Metro Fixtures was highly successful. He eventually sold the business in 1997 and retired. Smiley always said he had great employees that provided him the opportunity to build a successful company.

He had a love for sports such as baseball, football, tennis and bowling. However, his passion was fishing! He never turned down a chance to wet his line. If he was not fishing, he spent his time at the dance hall with Shirley almost every weekend polka dancing the night away. He taught all of his granddaughters how to polka dance when they were all barely walking! Smiley was a terrific dancer and glided across the dance floor with such ease.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; his children: Steve & Brenda McCarthy, and Valerie & William Persichette Jr.; and three grandchildren: Vanessa & Josh Schwartz, Heather & Bob Morgan, and Kendra & Moe York. He has seven Great-Grandchildren: Kelcey Schwartz, Richard Morgan, Wyatt Morgan, Easton Morgan, Lorenzo York, Liam York and Lane York. He is also survived by his siblings: Betty Schneider and Wilma & Jim Regelbruggie; five nieces and nephews: Jim Schneider, Randy Schneider, Paul Schneider, Dan Ringler and Michelle Ringler. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maggie and Merle; his brothers: Howard and James; his brother-in-law Calvin Schneider; and his son, Donald Terry.