Former longtime Ceres Planning Commission chairman Laurie Evans Smith died Thursday morning following a battle with cancer, her sister reported on social media.
News of Smith’s passing came as a shock to those who worked with her for many years and didn’t know of her illness.
“It just hit me like a ton of bricks,” said Ann Montgomery, the former administrative secretary to the Community Development Department who assisted the commission at meetings.
Montgomery, who worked with Smith for 11 years during her Planning Commission tenure that ended in 2022, said she was saddened by the news.
Smith had not shared about her diagnosis of liver and bile duct cancer in March 2025 believing she would beat it.
Her sister, Cathy Evans Jantz wrote on Facebook: “We are devastated by her loss as she was an amazing daughter, sister and mother to two amazing young men and 5 amazing grandchildren who love her deeply. I know her memory will forever be in our heart and her smile will continue to shine on. Please hold your loved ones close, end the battles within your circle of friends and family as life is short and you cannot go back in time. A Celebration of Life will be in the near future and more will be shared once those details are finalized. I love you Laurie, you will forever be my hero and shining star.”
Smith, 66, stepped down from the commission in November 2022 following 16 years of service, earning a reputation of professionalism in city matters.
Smith was first appointed to the commission by then Mayor Anthony Cannella as she simultaneously served as the city of Modesto’s director of Parks & Recreation. She ran unsuccessfully for the District 1 Ceres City Council seat in the special election of September 2021 but was defeated by James Casey.
At the time of her departure then director of Community Development for the city of Ceres Christopher Hoem called Smith “a beacon of professionalism, wisdom and just good decorum.”
Montgomery related that each time Smith was re-appointed as commission chairman then City Manager Tom Westbrook and Senior Planner James Michael were “just thrilled because she could conduct the meeting and there was no nonsense.“
She said Smith has a great sense of humor and a keen sense of the workings of government and felt she would have been an asset on the council.
In her parting speech in 2022, Smith said she enjoyed her service and remarked, “I can’t believe how quick 16 years went and I’m excited about the future of Ceres. Ceres is a great place to live and I know that we have a lot of great things in our future and people taking on roles of leadership in the community will continue moving us forward.”
Bob Kachel served with Smith on the commission and said she “made people better by just her presence. One of the great joys of serving is when she was chair. She did an excellent job at it and she brought professionalism and her knowledge of government second to none.”
He also commented that Smith was a “radiant brilliant lady with a wicked sense of humor. Wicked is not a bad term I want to make that clear. She had a great sense of humor that played very well and she did it without offending people. She was probably the sharpest person in the building ... because that’s what she did for a living working for government.”
