Frances Ida Smyth

On February 24, 2021, Frances Ida Smyth (Horton) passed away peacefully in her sleep with her two dogs, Suzie and Midnight, by her side. She was 81.

Frances was born in 1940. She lived in Las Vegas for fifty years in a home she loved. She enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, listening to audiobooks, and watching Western movies. For much of her life, she got up early to tend to her yard. She didn’t mind mowing the lawn or watering her plants, and she loved flowers.

After high school, Frances graduated from cosmetology school and worked for several years as a cosmetologist. After taking a few years to raise her daughters, Frances started a career on the Las Vegas Strip, where she worked for decades as a change girl and a cashier. Throughout her career, she worked her way up. By the time she retired from Harrah’s in her early sixties, she was the main booth cashier. She had many friends and was well liked by both coworkers and customers.

Frances loved rain. One of the most joyous moments of her final weeks happened on February 12th, when it rained briefly. Even though she was recovering from a hospitalization, Frances wanted to go outside to see the rain. Her daughter and son-in-law carried her from her bed to her front yard, where she exclaimed, “I haven’t seen rain in six months!” She grinned, soaking up the moment and the smell of the raindrops on her lawn.

Frances was a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother; she was a sister, an aunt, and a great-aunt. She is survived by her two daughters, Debbie Harwood and Angela Griffith; her grandchildren Adam Griffith, Stephanie Harwood, Marissa Harwood, Eric Griffith, Melanie Grasmick, Matthew Harwood, and Daniel Harwood; and her great-grandchildren Brayden Grasmick, Eleanor Paylor, Rhine Guelzow, and Weston Grasmick. She is also survived by her sister, Gail Ashinhust, her nephews Mark Ashinhust and Dennis Ashinhust, and her great-nephew Mark Jeffery Ashinhust (MJ).

Frances adored her great-grandchildren. Every morning, she got up and looked at new photos of them on her computer. She also had a digital picture frame in her bedroom, and she enjoyed seeing the photos her family uploaded for her. The pictures brought such joy to her life.

Frances wanted to be cremated, and her family will respect her wishes. No service will be held due to COVID-19. Family and friends can write a tribute or plant a tree in her honor at https://www.davismemorialpark.com/obituary/Frances-Smyth.