Family and friends recall murder victim as "caring person"

A life friends and family saw as full of generosity and selflessness was cut short Dec. 11, 2011 when 42 year old April Smith was murdered.

“She was fun to be with, she was a caring person,” said Ed Smith, April Smith’s husband. “Always went out of her way to help others. Of course I always backed her up on it. She’d do anything for anybody.”

Although they were technically separated at the time of April Smith’s death, the Smiths still kept in close contact, talking or texting daily. The couple met 22 years earlier in a truck stop where April Smith worked as a cashier in Garden City, Kan. After two years together, they married.

April Smith was unable to have children herself, but this didn’t stop her from taking in her sister’s children, as well as any others who needed a place to stay. April Smith would offer help to any child who was in trouble, Ed Smith said. His wife would talk to the young person about her problems, offer advice and allow her to stay with the Smiths.

“She cared about people a lot,” Ed Smith said. “You give her a sob story, she’d believe it and take you in.”

When their oldest sister died, April Smith raised her nieces and attempted to help them with their drug problems, said Viola Bennett, April Smith’s sister.

“She was always trying to help people do the best they could,” Bennett said.

Smith had big blue eyes to match her big personality, Bennett added. “When she got excited, we thought her eyes were gonna pop out.”

April Smith was one of three girls and two boys, born and raised in Garden City.

Those who knew the family always said the three sisters shared the same brain and heart, Bennett recalled. Smith and Bennett would often pick up the phone to call one another at the same time. Smith was not only Bennett’s sister, but her best friend, Bennett said.

“It’s like half of my heart’s gone,” she said. “I feel so alone without her.”

The Smiths traveled often when they first married. April Smith would ride along with Ed Smith in his semi while he was working as a truck driver.

The Smiths lived in Sidney for a number of years while Ed Smith worked for Adams Industries, but then moved to Las Vegas for nine years before moving back to Sidney in 2010.

The Smiths had a typical relationship, in Ed Smith’s opinion.

“It’s like any other couple, you know, you have your ups and downs,” Smith said.

Ed Smith described the couple’s separation as more of a temporary agreement. April Smith was going through some medical issues and wanted some time to herself, he said. He agreed to that to allow her some space.

“I’ve known Ed and April for over 15 years and the only problem I ever saw them have was the fact that April wanted Ed to be more home,” said family friend Billy Schmidt.

Bennett agreed that the weeks at a time Ed spent on the road created problems in their relationship.

“She was lonely,” Bennett said.

In Bennett’s opinion, It was Smith’s desire to have a significant other who was around more often and her trusting nature that led to her relationship with Craig Johnson, who was convicted of her murder earlier this week.

“To know April, she was very naive, childlike,” Bennett said.

Smith was insecure about her looks, so when any man paid her compliments, it was exciting for her, Bennett said.

Like many of the women in her family, Smith was plagued with health problems for much of her life. Smith had thyroid cancer at the time of her death according to her sister and had previously beaten cancer twice. Their mother died when Smith was 9. Smith experienced additional health issues in her last year of life, including terrible back pain.

“She went to work with a smile on her face and kept it to herself,” Ed Smith said.

Those who knew her well described Smith as a fun loving person who enjoyed joking around. One winter when the Smiths were on the road together, April Smith got out of the truck to play in a waterfall in shorts and a t-shirt, Ed Smith remembered.

Schmidt fondly recalled the last time he saw April Smith. She was in a truck stop at a gas station in Las Vegas, playing a slot machine.

“I told her in all the years, I’d never seen her look better,” Schmidt said. “She looked really good, she was happy.”

His wife loved being around people, Ed Smith said.

“She was a people person,” he said. “She worked with people really well.”

Although Ed Smith would have preferred that his wife be buried in Sidney so he could see her more often, she wished to be laid to rest with her mother and older sister in Garden City. Smith visits her grave there as often as he can. In his wallet Smith still carries a photo of his wife on their wedding day.

“She’s beautiful,” Smith said.

Smith had plans to reconcile with his wife and take her on a cruise for their anniversary in 2012.

This tragedy affected the family deeply. Many of them blame themselves for Smith’s death. The family is unable to locate one of Smith’s nieces whom she helped raise, and Ed Smith believes she’s involved with drugs. This niece was living with April Smith in Sidney for a time and then moved to Las Vegas in 2011, before Smith’s death.

“She believes it was partly her fault because she left,” Ed Smith said.

Schmidt lamented Smith’s death.

“It was just a total loss to everybody,” Schmidt said. “To the world. She went out of her way to help other people’s kids and raise them and try to give them a decent life and this was taken away by this guy’s actions.”

Not only was April adored by family and friends but she was also a favorite of truckers and the workforce at Adams Industries and Castronics who often came to her workplace, the Sidney Industrial Park Convenience Store for meals.

Those who knew Smith described her as the kind of person who everyone loved.

“People enjoyed being around her, she was full of laughter, she always had a smile on her face,” Ed Smith said. “She didn’t let things get her down.”

Bennett is thankful that Smith is no longer in pain, because she experienced so much sickness during her life.

Although the family is pleased with Johnson’s conviction, this ordeal will only truly be over for Bennett after the sentencing Feb. 5.

Bennett might not be able to move on for a few months, but she is sure that her sister is at peace.

“Right now, I know she’s relieved and I can feel her spirit, happy,” Bennett said.