Florence E. Smith-Powers

SMITH-POWERS, FLORENCE, Florence Smith Powers died February 8, 2012 in Denver, Colorado after a long illness. She was 94. Florence was born July 2, 1917, in Ogden, Utah, to the late George Thomas Empey and Amadell Calaway Empey. Along with her first husband, Ward Harris Smith, Florence co-founded Birko in 1953 and served as its president, CEO and chairman until retiring in 2001. Birko is a leading provider of food safety solutions for the beef, pork, poultry, produce and beverage industries. Florence was recognized by the National Meat Association as Industry Person of the Year in 1994. Today Birko is ranked tenth out of 100 women-owned Colorado companies by ColoradoBiz magazine. Florence was adept at promoting Birko and extremely good with people. She considered her employees family. Florence worked closely at Birko with her sister Elizabeth ""Betty"" Smith, who was her closest confidante. Florence was elegant and charming with strong ethics and personal integrity that flowed through her business practices. She attended Brigham Young University and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Florence married Ward Harris Smith in 1941. He preceded her in death in 1977. She married Bill Powers in 1986; he died in 1995. Florence was preceded in death by her children Janet Cassandra Smith Heffer and Spencer Harris Smith. Florence is survived by her granddaughter Kelly Green, grandson Clint Edward Heffer, great grandson C.J. Heffer, and her sister, Elizabeth Empey Smith. Funeral Service, Saturday, 10 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2710 S. Monaco Pkwy, Denver. Burial at Fairmount Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Ward Harris Smith Memorial Scholarship program at Texas A&M, the National Meat Association Scholarship Foundation, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints