Elizabeth Smrekar

Elizabeth (Liz) Peterson Smrekar died peacefully on December 19, 2024, surrounded by family in Sacramento, CA. She was 98.

Liz was born on November 5th, 1926, in Modesto CA to Natalie and George Peterson. She lived with her parents and brother Dick in Patterson, CA until the family moved to San Jose in 1940, where she began her freshman year at Campbell High School. She was elected to serve on the student council throughout her high school years. She often recalled the impact of World War II on her high school experience, noting that all school social activities were moved to the afternoon hours, including the senior ball and graduation, and that “many of the senior boys were in the service” by the time of graduation in 1944. She made lifelong friends at Campbell High, including “the two Bevs” (Bulmore & Barton). In the fall of 1944, Liz enrolled at San Jose State University where she majored in Education with a minor in English Literature. She worked part-time at the San Jose Department of Recreation and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. She met Jack Smrekar in her junior year on a blind date arranged by mutual friends and noted later, “I knew very quickly that I wanted to see him more often.” They were engaged on Valentine’s Day in 1949 and married later that year. They settled in San Jose where Liz taught 3rd grade in the Cambrian School District until they started a family three years later. They raised four children. Liz returned to classroom teaching in the Cambrian School District in 1968; she retired 25 years later in 1993. She was honored as Teacher of the Year by a California education foundation in 1989.

Travel, family, and friends were high priorities for Liz. The family enjoyed two weeks at a cabin in Pinecrest every summer and an annual get-together with friends (many from SJSU) at Yosemite housekeeping campground. She later wrote, “a beautiful result of Pinecrest and Yosemite were the strong family relationships built across generations, all of which I regard as one of my greatest blessings.” Two favorite family vacations included a trip to Hawaii to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary in 1999 with their children, their spouses, and 10 grandchildren, and a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 2014, where Jack and Liz celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary - again with their children and spouses. 

After retirement, she and Jack enjoyed trips to Europe, Alaska, Mexico, and Canada. She later observed: “One of the wonderful things about traveling in a tour group is meeting new friends and learning about their stories.” They stayed in close contact with many of these “new” friends over the years. Liz was an active member of PEO, a women’s service organization, and learned to play bridge and golf. She was an avid reader of historical fiction and biographies, active in social organizations including Towne Club and Gaieties, and a lifelong Catholic, attending Mass each Sunday. In 2012, she and Jack moved to a condo in Campus Commons in Sacramento to be closer to family in the area. She remained actively engaged in the daily lives of family members through handwritten notes and cards, frequent phone calls and visits, and more recently, Tinybeans, the photo sharing app. Liz read the newspaper regularly and loved to discuss local news, national politics, sports (especially the SF Giants’ pitching rotation) and of course, the weather. As one daughter observed, “Mom kept us all updated on current events and family activities and accomplishments. She was our reliable, trusted news source.”

The entire family recently gathered in Sacramento to celebrate Liz’s 98th birthday where her devotion to family and friends, fondness for good literature and proper grammar (always the English teacher), and empathetic listening skills were celebrated with toasts, laughter, and well wishes.

Liz was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack, in 2021, her brother, Dick (2015) and grandson, Richard (1982). She will be missed by her children and their spouses - Jim & Sue Smrekar, Joan & Stuart Gherini, Maggie & Tim McDonnell, Claire Smrekar & Eric Slater, her 10 grandchildren and their spouses -- who knew her as “Grammy” -- and 7 great-grandchildren. Her family is deeply grateful to her loving caregiver-companions. 

A Memorial Mass to celebrate Liz’s life of faith and family will be held in Sacramento with details to follow. Donations can be made to the charity of your choice in Liz’s memory or to Sacramento Loaves and Fishes.