Refilia "Refella" V. Curry Smith

Refilia “Rafella” V. Curry Smith, age 88, of Salt Lake City, entered the spirit world on Friday, December 2, 2016. She succumbed to the effects of cancer at the Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City with her family by her side.
    She was born January 2, 1928, to Harry and Lorena Wiltsie Smith on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation in Nevada.  She is a tribal member.  She often spoke of her grandpa, Johnny.  She also spent many years in Loyalton, CA, with her mother’s Washoe people.
    Refilia attended High School at the Sherman Institute in Riverside, CA, graduating in 1946.  While there, she met and then married Richard Curry, Sr.  They later divorced.  
    After raising most of her children on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, she moved to the Salt Lake area to find employment and raise the rest of her children.  One of the highlights of her career was meeting and knowing the billionaire, James LaVoy Sorenson, who employed her as a seamstress at LaVoy’s and then at Sorenson Research and Medical Supplies.  
    While in the Salt Lake Valley, she met and married her companion of many years, Pedro F. Velasquez.  They were later divorced.  
    Upon retirement, she spent a lot of time interacting with others at the SL American Indian Center.  She was very involved with her elders group that met and enjoyed various activities for the elders.  She had many friends in this group and enjoyed and appreciated them all.  Her two special sidekicks were Rose and Fern.
    Refilia is survived by her children, Richard Curry Jr (Simone Wilson),Roosevelt, Ralph Curry, Crow Heart, Wyoming; Royce (Margaret) Curry, Independence; Rayma Curry,  Rudy Curry, both of Salt Lake City; step-children, Rory, Ryan & Ronnie Curry, all of Roosevelt; Reggie (Victoria) Curry, Arizona; Kenneth Frost, Ignacio, CO.
24 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Carmelita Evans DeLucci, Nevada.
    She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Hazel McMasters, Ramona Mitchell; brothers, Lester Wilson, Wilbur Smith, Manuel Smith, a daughter, Regina Curry Livingston; 3 grandsons, Shawn Francisco, Thomas Curry, Redstone Curry, and Craig Bumgarner; step-son, Gene Velasquez; two infant brothers, Walter & Jake Evans, II.
    Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., at the Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Randlett. There will be a viewing at the Hullinger Mortuary on Monday from 2-4 p.m. and then a wake will be after 4:00 p.m. at the home of her granddaughter, Riki Curry Wilkerson, 629 East 1000 North, Roosevelt.  
    Burial will be in the Ft. Duchesne Cemetery under direction of the Hullinger Mortuary