Cindy Lou Smith (née Becerril), born February 21, 1958 in San Bernardino, CA, passed peacefully at age 62 into Heaven on Thursday, December 31, 2020 in Irvine, CA. Her husband of thirty-six years, Curtis Alan Smith, and their youngest son held her hands while she slipped into her Lord Jesus' waiting arms. Born to Felipe (passed) and Mary Lou Becerril, she lived throughout Orange County, CA. She was the big sister to Frances (passed) and Sophia.

In 1984, while at a church retreat, she met Curtis, who after a short courtship, happily married her on October 20, 1984 in Santa Ana, CA. Together they had four sons, Daniel Alan Smith (spouse Amanda), Michael Darius Smith (spouse Rebekah), Nathanael Noah Smith (spouse Mariah), and Josiah Mark Smith. Cindy and Curtis also raised their teenaged niece, Brittany Frances Paris (Benson).

Cindy liked to often remind Curtis that she graduated from Costa Mesa High School after attending for only three years. During those high school years she learned to play her 12-string acoustic guitar and was on the high school drill team. One highlight for Cindy was marching with the high school band down Disneyland's Main Street. It was also during those early years in the 1970s that Cindy gave her heart to Jesus during the "Jesus People" movement at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa.

After high school, Cindy went to work at ITT Canon, in Santa Ana, CA, a job that she loved to talk about often. Later, she would become a receptionist in the office at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. She loved to tell stories about her interactions there with the church pastors. While Cindy spent most of her married life as a homemaker and mother, she did work for a while at her favorite craft stores and at the church they attended for decades: Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa.

Cindy loved to talk passionately and enthusiastically about her love for Jesus, her children, and her grandchildren. She was the opposite of an introvert, telling anyone who would listen about Jesus and about her family. Her other two great passions were cooking and sewing/handicraft. Cindy enjoyed watching cooking shows that gave her ideas for gourmet recipes and she loved shopping at specialty stores for the right ingredients and the proper cooking equipment. Her passion for cooking did not go unrewarded. Many times during her sons' award ceremonies for Boy Scout Troop 316, Cindy took home top honors for the side dish and dessert contests. Family and friends will always remember her famous Chile Relleno casserole and handcrafted chocolate desserts that were too rich to describe with human language. As much as she loved cooking, she was even more passionate about sewing and handicrafts. She made many specialty blankets and clothing items, and even created marvelous costumes for her youngest son who was in the high school drama productions. Cindy not only lent her time and sewing abilities to the Calvary Chapel sewing ministry, but she also taught other women her sewing skills and knowledge. Cindy was also involved with the Calvary Chapel women's ministry, where she loved to lend her handicraft prowess for their semi-annual craft fairs.

Cindy loved to travel. An early memorable trip as a child was with her family to Acapulco, Mexico. She loved to relay stories over and over about the fabled trip. While not funny at the time, she enjoyed retelling the event of being given a chocolate bar by her parents, only to find after eating most of it that it was infested with worms. Once married, Cindy was the impetus behind several family road trips along the West Coast of the United States. She especially enjoyed going to Yosemite, CA, after having been introduced to the National Park by Curtis for their magical honeymoon. She also enjoyed Kings Canyon, Monterey Bay, Carmel by the Sea, Big Sur, and the coasts of Oregon and Washington state. During the last three years of her life, her favorite road trips were to Bend, OR where her son Nathanael and family relocated. A favorite treat of Cindy's in Bend was to enjoy a fancy, heavily customized coffee drink at a quaint coffee place in a converted house on the bank of the Deschutes River.
Cindy is survived by her husband, their four sons and their families, her niece and her family, her sister, her mother, and her siblings-in-law Cathy and her family, Jeff, and Jenny. She is also survived by her grandchildren Olivia (Daniel and Amanda), Esther, Jacob, and Mikah (Michael and Rebekah), and Lilith and Zachary (Nathanael and Mariah). She is also survived by her nephews Joshua Dean Becerril and Brett Avery Paris, and her niece Brittany Frances Benson (spouse Mark and children Joy and Jason). Her father Felipe Becerril passed away in 2011, and her sister Frances M. Becerril passed away in 1975.

Visitation will be held February 2, 2021 from 5 PM to 7 PM at McCormick and Sons Mortuaries, 25002 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, CA 92637. Due to current gathering restrictions, a private burial will be held at Fairhaven Memorial Park. When conditions permit, a celebration of Cindy's life will be held for all of her friends and family.