Jean Holcomb Smith, 89, died October 23, 2014. Jean attended Arizona State College (ASC), and while she was a student there, she met Dean Smith. Their love relationship was cut short and delayed when in 1943 Dean enlisted in the Army Air Force. While he was away at war, Jean met and married William Britton, moved to Nebraska and had four sons. After the war, Dean returned to ASC, got married, had four children of his own, and settled in Tempe and Scottsdale. Jean was a homemaker and worked as a switchboard operator at Apache Powder Company in Benson. In the 1960s, after both Jean and Dean were divorced, they found each other again, rekindled their college romance and were married in 1968. They were married 44 years until Dean's death in 2012. Dean was Director of Publications at ASU retiring in 1984. He served in several capacities in ASURA:  Board Member, Vice President, University Liaison, Legislative Liaison, and chair of the Video History Project. He also authored the ASURA Decade of Success 1991-2000. Jean is survived by her four sons, Dean's four children, 19 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Jean was predeceased by two sisters. A memorial service will be held at the Friendship Village Care Center Garden, 2525 E Southern Avenue in Tempe, on Saturday, November 22, at 2 pm.

(Source: Arizona Republic)