Conley Paul Smith

Conley Paul Smith, 83, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at his home. Conley was characterized by his strong Christian faith. Active in his church, he sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and served on the board. He was passionate about sharing his faith with others. He and his wife of 51 years, Carolyn, were members at Bear Valley Church in Lakewood, CO. Conley grew up in Alexandria, Louisiana and graduated from Bolton High School in 1952. After high school he attended Louisiana Tech where he graduated with honors with a degree in petroleum engineering. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, where he received his Master’s in petroleum engineering in 1960. While at OU, Conley became an avid fan, especially of football, and remained a devout and loyal Sooner throughout his life. Boomer Sooner! Conley began his career with British American Oil in Farmington, NM before moving to Denver in 1961 to work for Consolidated Oil and Gas. He struck out on his own in 1969 as an independent oil producer and then founded Conley P. Smith Operating Company and Conley P. Smith, LLC in 1981. He was a successful oil man. He was awarded the Wildcatter of the Year in 1988 and the Denver Petroleum Club “Man of The Year” in 1989. Conley was active in several organizations. He was the 4th President of the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States. He was on the Board of Visitors for both the College of Engineering and the College of Earth and Energy at the University of Oklahoma. He was also a Chairman and board member of the Mountain States Legal Foundation. He was instrumental in working with Golden Gate Seminary (now named Gateway Seminary) to open a satellite campus in Denver. Conley loved travel and recreation. He was an passionate sports fan and held Bronco season tickets since 1966. He loved the mountains and skiing. He was interested in trains and recently took a trans-Canada train trip. Conley leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife, Carolyn McNabb Smith; four children, Shannon (John) Marshall, Matthew Conley (Heather) Smithrock, Andrew Smith and Tyler (Kimberly) Smith; six grandchildren, Nathan Marshall, Jacob Marshall, Nico Smithrock, Luka Smithrock, Asher Smith and Annabelle Smith; and his siblings, Nancy (Sid) Springer, Martha Holloway (Bob) Hershey and Betty (Gene) Miller. Several nieces and nephews also survive. He was the son of the late Conley Carl and Agnes Robertson Smith. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Cherry Lynn Smith and a brother-in-law, O’Deane Holloway. The family will receive friends to share memories on Saturday, May 5, 2018, from 4:00 PM till 7:00 PM in the Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver. A funeral service to honor Conley’s life will be held at 11:00 AM, on Monday, May 7, 2018 at Bear Valley Church, 1001 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood, CO 80232. A reception will follow at the church. A committal and interment will be held at a later date at Dillon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to: Gateway Seminary Rocky Mountain Campus, 7393 South Alton Way, Centennial, CO 80112, https://give.evertrue.com/gateway/donate-now-rocky-mountain-campus Online condolences may be shared with the family at, www.HoranCares.com.