Jeffrey Eldon Smith, 22, died suddenly at his home in Oak Harbor on March 23, 2002. He was born Jan. 12, 1980, in Anaheim, Calif., to William and Charlene (Thompson) Smith. Jeff moved to Oak Harbor with his family at the age of two. He has been a resident of Oak Harbor for the past 20 years. At the time of his death, Jeff was employed by Island Disposal.

Jeff was a young man who had his own distinct views, a man who marched to the beat of a different drummer, prized as a man who thought for himself. He was proud of his ability to save money to buy his own mobile home and start to remodel it. He loved to skateboard and had hoped to someday teach his nephew Jordan how to skate.

Jeff is survived by his parents, Bill and Charlene Smith of Oak Harbor; by one sister, Amber Rene Anderson (Daniel) of Oak Harbor; his grandparents, Frank and Dorothy Smith of Oak Harbor; his great-grandmother, Margaret Smith of Arizona; one nephew, Jordan Anderson of Oak Harbor; five aunts, Eileen Cowan of Bakersfield, Calif., Sandra Scorpio and Peggy Pincin, both of Oak Harbor, Genny Smith of Bothell and Sharon Smith of Lynnwood; and three uncles, John Smith of Bothell, Michael Thompson of Crestline, Calif., and Paul Smith of Lynnwood.

A celebration of life for Jeff Smith will be held at Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor, on Wednesday, March 27 at 1 p.m. Pastor Rick Karjalainen of First Reformed Church of Oak Harbor will officiate. Cremation was held with private family inurnment to follow at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor. This obituary can be seen online at:

http://burley.plan4ever.com