The La Plata County coroner position is up for reelection, and Jann Smith, who is nearing the end of her fourth term, will not seek another term.
After four elected terms, plus two years completing a predecessor’s unexpired term and eight years as a deputy coroner – in addition to her earlier work as an EMT – Smith said she is ready to retire.
“I love my job, I really do,” Smith said. But she said she is getting older and it feels like the right time to retire and focus on other things.
To Smith, while the work involves determining a cause of death, the most important part of the job is guiding families through a difficult time.
“I like to take care of the families,” Smith said.
“Our main concern is the individual that has passed away,” she said. “But then the family is right behind.”
That support can mean explaining autopsy findings, helping relatives understand delays caused by toxicology reports, or simply guiding families through unfamiliar logistics after a death.
“A lot of times we have to wait for toxicology (reports) to come back, which takes four to six weeks,” she said. “Sometimes families can’t do certain financial things until they get the final death certificate, and that can take a long time for them.”
She believes her empathy, in part, comes from her own experiences with loss. She has lost two husbands and a son.
“I know how families feel,” she said. “I think I know how I felt, and so you just kind of do what you know you need to do.”
Still, some cases linger – it is especially difficult when families refuse to claim or pay for arrangements for a loved one.
Smith will remain in office until her successor is sworn in early next year. Two of her deputies are running for the position.
Experience with paperwork, records and family communication matters deeply in the role, she said.
As retirement approaches, her feelings remain mixed.
“I semi don’t like it,” she said. “But on the other hand, I do.”
She looks forward to spending more time at home, working in her yard and helping the next coroner transition into the position if needed.
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