Roxanne Marie Riley "Rock" Smith

SMITH, Roxanne Marie Riley, “Rock” to most who knew her, 67 of Dayton, OH passed away Monday, November 22 at Miami Valley Hospital. Rock was a 1972 graduate of Fairmont East High School and a 1977 graduate of The Ohio State University. Following college she was a teacher, primarily with grade school aged children but her only real ambition in life was to be a Mom. When her family was started she became a stay at home Mom.
Every room she walked into would light up with her presence. Her beauty and charisma was just stunning. She could hold court keeping everyone laughing for hours and tell more limericks from memory then most people even knew existed. Her feelings ran deep, she never forgot the birth date of a friend or family member and she had a memory for detail and emotions that was both endearing and at times even scary. Her gardens were always beautiful, designed to bloom continuously, which they did throughout the seasons. She also loved creating places for song birds, hummingbirds and chickadees to frequent so she could simply enjoy their beauty.
Rock loved her friends and cherished any time she could spend with them. When she would reconnect with anyone she hadn’t seen in some time the conversation and laughing would last for hours. She loved to travel and especially cherished trips she made with her Mother – Mary Alice, Mother-in-Law – Mary Ann (the MA’s) and of course, her daughters. Traveling with Rock was a time of non-stop fun. Trips with her will be sorely missed. Heaven has received a new angel, she left us far too soon. Her husband simply referred to her as “beautiful”, he loves and misses her more then he can express.
Rock was preceded in death by her Father and Mother, Mathew and Mary Alice Riley, her younger brother Tim Riley and her son-in-law Dustin McDonald. She is survived by her husband Ron Smith; her daughters Lauren Black McDonald; Kaitlyn/Seth Walton; son, Ryan Black/Amanda Robinson; step-children Pipere Smith, Sean/Carissa Smith and Erin Smith. Her grand-daughters Zoey, Skylar and very soon her grand-son Omri along with her step-grand-children Griffin, Cooper and Tobin Smith. Rock is also survived by her brothers Pat/Michelle Riley, Mike Riley and sister-in-law Patti Riley, plus many nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Rock will be held on Monday, November 29th between 5:00 & 7:00 PM at Routsong Funeral Home on Stroop Road in Kettering. There will be a Memorial Service for her on Tuesday, November 30th and Noon and a Reception to follow, both, also at Routsong Funeral Home in Kettering. Roxanne loved flowers and loved anytime she received them but, in lieu of flowers please feel free to donate in her name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Their mission has always been near to her heart.