OGDEN, Utah — The Weber county community is getting set to honor a former county attorney.
Dee Smith died suddenly in 2021. Now, his loved ones and colleagues are remembering him while raising money for a cause they say he would have championed.
“Dee was never afraid and he always had the integrity to do what's right regardless of what anybody said,” said Cherrie Smith, Dee’s widow. “He cared so much about the community and he had integrity while doing it.”
Cherrie is organizing the 3rd annual “Dee Smith Memorial Live Your Dash” fun run and walk. All money raised will be donated to law enforcement causes.
“We need law enforcement in our lives,” Cherrie said. “They are a huge part of our community and Dee was passionate. I used to joke that his mistress was law enforcement – and I was ok with that.”
This year, a large portion of the proceeds will benefit a newly formed cold case task force in Weber County. The funds will help reopen cases that are years old with the goal of giving closure to families of victims.
Dee’s former co-workers say that cause was special to him.
“He wasn’t a cop, but he was one of us. He loved police officers, loved the law and he loved justice,” said Steve Haney, an investigator with the Weber County Attorney’s Office. “He wanted to make sure the wrong people were not out on the streets to re-offend and to continue causing problems in the community.”
While Dee’s passing left a huge hole in the attorney’s office and the Weber County community, his legacy continues. The impact he made on those who knew him will never be forgotten.
“It's kind of hard for me to talk about because he was that great of a friend and I think about him every day,” Haney said.
The Dee Smith Live Your Dash Fun Run and Walk takes place on June 1 in South Ogden.
