Alexis Smith-Twiford

Alexis Ann Smith-Twiford was born on September 27, 1949 in Missoula, Montana to Ernest and Erma Smith. She attended Sentinel High School and graduated in 1967 with an emphasis on music and drama. She moved to Los Angeles after graduation where she brought to life her son Kirk Ross on April 27, 1968 who she gifted to a loving family through an adoption in Los Angeles. Kirk grew up in Santa Monica and became a very successful singer songwriter and he is now a contract software coder. Alexis then moved to Boise in 1974 where she worked at Ore-Ida Foods and at the famous Gamekeeper Restaurant. She met Randy Loyd here in Boise while he was performing at the Owyhee Plaza. Randy invited Alexis to join his group "The Family Reunion" in 1976 when she moved to Denver to be the lead female vocalist with his group. The band traveled quite a bit and performed all over the Rocky Mountain region and did USO Tours in the Mediterranean and also played at Harrah's in Reno and Tahoe. She continued her singing career as a duo with Randy performing in the lobby lounge at the Holiday Inn Downtown Denver where she met her future husband Jim Twiford in 1979. They were married at Riverside Baptist Church and enjoyed being together for 45 years since Jim was one of their biggest fans. Randy and Alexis performed there for a number of years and built up a following until they moved their performance venue one block down the street to "The Top of the Rockies" Restaurant & Lounge, one of Denver's most popular special occasion fine dining establishments overlooking the bright lights of Denver from the top floor of the Security Life Tower. She concluded her performing career with the final night closing of "The Top" which was featured on all of the local television stations.

Alexis also worked in the food service business as a Catering Director for Marc's and Valentes in Wheat Ridge, Colorado and as Director of Catering at the upscale Scanticon Hotel in Englewood, Colorado. Lex also continued to share her singing talents as a member of the Riverside Baptist Church touring gospel group "Harvest Road" and with "The Eleventh Hour" at Faith Lutheran Church where she performed at three Easter Sunrise services at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. Alexis is survived by her husband Jim Twiford, her son Kirk Ross and his wife Patricia, and her sisters Beverly Dunn, Diana Clark and Nancy Darden and their families.

Alexis' life was always full of joy and happiness and she showed so much kindness to others. She loved to say hi and chat with complete strangers whenever shopping or visiting somewhere which seemed to brighten her day. Alexis also wanted to be reunited with her son Kirk so she and Jim reached out to him through a search company and found him in February 2008 which was such a huge blessing to her. He is a very thoughtful and caring guy who visited her twice with Patricia in Colorado and Idaho. Lex will be forever missed for her charming personality and her exceptional singing talent. All of the people that knew her loved her and she made a difference in many of the audience members' lives with her musical performances and the genuine kindness that she showed towards everyone. May God Bless Her In Heaven.