Kyle James Smith, 40, native of Great Falls, MT, died September 2nd in Portland, OR.

His celebration of life service will be Sunday, September 11th 2PM at 'The Colony' in the St Johns neighborhood in Portland, OR. 7525 N Richmond Ave Portland, OR 97203.

Kyle was born in Great Falls on March 28th, 1976 to Russell Smith and Candice Garza (deceased). He graduated from Great Falls High School in 1994, and quickly followed his passion to become a ski bum for a year in Jackson, Wyoming. He later attended Montana State University where he obtained his bachelor's degree in business.

He was one of four boys, and followed his brothers to Portland, OR in 2004 and has lived there since. He found great success in software sales as an early employee of the start-up software company Puppet Labs. Kyle humbly joked that he didn't even know what he was selling, yet was the first employee to close a million dollar sale at Puppet. He was never afraid to work hard, whether it was at his first job slinging pizza aside his friends at Johnny K's Cook Shack at Showdown Ski Area, selling shoes at Village Shoes after class in high school, or later in life in a successful career in high profile sales.

Kyle had two speeds, stop and go fast. He was good at everything he did. He was passionate about golf, skiing, and mountain biking. In a small circle of family and friends he was famous for his barbeque ribs (which he took a plate of to his elderly neighbor after every cook out). Kyle never did anything small, ever. He was known for his smile, which always lit up the room, and his big Smith hug. He would look you in the eye when you talked to him and he meant what he said, usually with passion. He was an entertainer, pushing the envelope with his comedy. He was a magnet and made those around him better.

His family meant everything and he would drop anything to be there for them. He was lovingly known as "Unc" to his nieces and nephews. He loved his little dogs Beebo and Turkey. He loved his girlfriend, Lizzie. He was passionate about his neighborhood, St Johns, and believed in community.

It came as the worst surprise to those that knew him, that Kyle ended his own life. For those who hadn't seen him in years, his death seemed impossible. He suffered from severe depression and was not the same vibrant Kyle the last year of his life. His family and loved ones were aware of how sick he was, he was under medical care for his depression, yet despite a tremendous safety net built around him, he fell victim to his disease. In the last week of his life he mountain biked with a great friend, played a round of golf caddied by his father, and played make believe with his nieces and nephews. He spoke with each of his brothers on the day he died. His death is a reminder that none of us is immune.

To those that know and love Kyle, he will be remembered by the way he lived, not the way he died.

Kyle is survived by his father and step-mother, Russell and Jane Smith formerly of Great Falls, now Ridgefield, WA; brother Nathan Smith, his wife Amy and their two children Foster and Mirabel; brother Dustin Smith, wife Alyson and two children Stella and Ellie; brother Adam Smith and his partner Brad Cota and their son, Henry (all of Portland); his girlfriend Elizabeth Schooler (Portland); step-father Emilio Garza (Belt, MT) and step-siblings Manuel Garza (Helena), Travis Garza (Midland, TX), Lance Garza (Great Falls), Skip Garza (Great Falls), Susanne Halley (Belt), Trista Babcock (Bozeman), Paul Grossfield (Los Angeles), and Barry Grossfield (Berkely, CA). He was preceded in death by his mother, Candice Garza.