Valarie Lynn Smith Obituary

With solemn hearts, we announce the passing of Valarie Lynn Smith of Republic, Missouri, whose presence will be deeply missed, having departed on January 30, 2026 at the age of 54. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.

As we bid Valarie farewell, let us not mourn the absence of her physical form, but rather celebrate the essence of her spirit that lingers in the spaces between moments. For Valarie is not truly gone, but merely transformed, her energy intertwined with the fabric of the universe itself, forever dancing among the stars.

She was predeceased by: her father Terry Lee Kerns; her siblings, Paul Edward Kerns, Terry Russell Kerns and Megan Danielle Hamilton; and her grandmother Loretta Malicoat.

She is survived by: her mother Shirley Jeanette Kerns-Hamilton (Clarkson); her daughter Maria Lynn Rister; and her grandson Oliver Ray Rister.