It is with great sadness that we announce that Lola Eve Massey Smith passed away on September 28, 2022, at the age of 61. Lola was born on September 13th in Seattle, WA to William and Kathleen Massey. Lola was just two when the family moved to Oak Harbor, WA where Lola attended Mrs. Mouw’s preschool, Oak Harbor Elementary, and graduated from Oak Harbor High School. Lola loved the camaraderie of high school sports and excelled at track and basketball. A sponsored trip to Europe for high schoolers led to her love of travel.

From there Lola attended the Fashion Institute of Los Angeles and worked in that city in retailing that related to fashion design. She then went to Central Washington University where she graduated with a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising which led to a position with the Nordstrom Company in Seattle, WA designing window displays and merchandising while also modeling for the Nordstrom catalog_

After marriage to the love of her life, Kelly Smith, in 1984, Lola and Kelly moved to Portland where Kelly pursued his coaching career and Lola continued her education at Portland State University. They began a family with the arrival of Riley William (1988), Collin Howard (1990), and Shawna Rose (1994). The family moved back to Oak Harbor where Lola opened a children’s clothing store and Lola and Kelly operated the Roller Barn which fit right in with their love for working with children_

After a few years in Oak Harbor, the family moved to Longview, Washington. where Lola partnered with her dear friends Priscilla and Jo Ann in real estate sales while Kelly continued his coaching career. Lola was very involved in school activities and during this time a whole series of young baseball players lived at their house and became lifelong friends. Two brothers, exchange students from Holland lived with Lola and Kelly at different times which led to a close tie with the families in Holland and many exchanges of visits between the families. Lola was the ultimate Baseball mom, taking care of the players, providing meals, and loving on anyone that stopped by the house.

Lola enjoyed many activities that allowed her to spend time with family and friends. She was an avid beach lover that wanted to spend summer days in Oak Harbor crabbing and enjoying beach adventures. In the fall, Lola always outdid herself in celebrating, decorating, and dressing up for her favorite holiday, Halloween. She passed this love on to all her children and grandkids. Lola was an accomplished traveler and enjoyed seeing the world and experiencing new things and different cultures. She especially enjoyed meeting up with the family on boat travels in Alaska and Central America. Lola made her mark on the world—she was counted on by many as a generous, kind, and loyal friend that was always there for those in need.

As a little girl of ten, Lola’s great-grandma taught her to crochet. Lola was famous for the hundreds of blankets she made over the years for family and friends and anyone she thought needed a lift up. She was especially pleased to see her baby blankets, gifted to prenatal help organizations, covering the children of young mothers.

Lola’s school associates tell many stories of the gifts and loving help she gave to children with special needs. The past few years she spent time as an instructional assistant at West View Elementary and enjoyed working with students and volunteering in classrooms.

In the last decade, Lola has taken on her most coveted role yet, “Grandma.” Her fun loving personality was always on display and something all who knew her will be sure to miss. Lola spent the past few years taking care of her grandchildren and becoming the grandma-craft-queen. In addition, she was an avid gardener and her favorite flower being an iris. Every time they moved to a different home, she was able to transform any space into a luscious paradise. One of Lola’s favorite past times included sitting with friends out in her garden.

Lola is survived by her loving husband Kelly Smith of Burlington, WA, Mom and Dad in Oak Harbor, son, Riley (Kendra) Smith of Burlington, WA, son, Collin Smith of Oak Harbor, WA, daughter, Shawna (Sean) Reilly of Burlington, WA, Grandchildren, Sanna Eve and William, brother Bill Jr. (Shelly) Oak Harbor, WA, Beloved aunts and uncles, Susan (Roger) Owner of Coupeville. Billie (Bob) Williams of Coupeville, Linda Massey of Oak Harbor, Jack Massey of Mindo, Ecuador, Rene George of Elma, WA as well as beloved cousins, nieces. nephews. and their families.

If you knew Lola at all, you would know that she would want to gather, toast, hug, joke, and most of all laugh together. She loved her family and her friends as family, to know Lola is to love and miss her. Per Lola’s request there will be a private family ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Lola’s memory to Skagit / Island Head Start. (Building Strong Foundations for Life Long Learning).