Line-of-duty service, procession to be held for Leslee Smith

A line-of-duty memorial service will be held for North Whatcom Fire and Rescue firefighter Leslee Smith at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at the Blaine Performing Arts Center, 975 H Street in Blaine.

The memorial will give Smith full honors for her years of commitment to the community.

Smith died March 26 at the age of 69 after battling job-related liver cancer. Her death is considered a line-of-duty fatality because of hazardous exposures while working as a firefighter.

She spent several years as a volunteer firefighter before becoming a NWFR firefighter at 40 years old in 1999, eventually becoming the district’s first female lieutenant.

Smith also had worked as a behavioral health specialist for Blaine school district, volunteered with the Blaine Fine Arts Association and helped start the Blaine High School Band to Japan trips.

NWFR chief Jason Van der Veen said the public is also invited to pay their respects by observing a vehicle procession that will start at 11:48 a.m. from Station 61 on Odell Road, travel to Peace Portal Drive and then from H Street to the Performing Arts Center. The vehicle procession will include fire engines from districts across Whatcom County as well as Smith’s family.

Donations in her name are asked to be contributed to Blaine Fine Arts Association, Bellingham/Whatcom County Fire Fighters Benevolent Foundation Memorial Scholarship and Support Officer Community Care of Whatcom County.