Adrian Paul “DJ Mijo” Smith passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Winslow. Interment followed at Desert View Cemetery.
He was born Feb. 15, 1987, in Winslow.
Twenty-seven years seems like such a short time on earth to many, but not Adrian. He lived his life to the fullest. What Adrian wanted to do he did. Nothing or no one was going to stop him.
Adrian loved people ever since he was a little boy. He never knew the meaning of stranger danger. He talked to everyone and anyone, and you were usually blown away with his amazing smile or huge hug.
Among his real passions was traveling to his favorite place on earth, Puerto Rico. If he could have, he would have lived there. He had a passion for the outdoors; camping, fishing, hunting and just hanging out with his Chicano Outfitters family. He also had a passion for music. One day he had a dream to become a DJ and so he did, booking many, many gigs such as weddings, graduations, proms, birthday parties, casino events, Raves, block parties and so forth. You called him, he was there.
His other passion was for work. Whenever Adrian needed work there was a couple who always gave it to him, no matter what, no questions asked: Michael and Elana Chacon, Joe’s Glass and Locksmith. These two, I believe were Godsent angels for Adrian. They treated him as one of their own. They never judged nor gave up on him. Adrian always said he had the time of his life working for them. They were the ones who gave him his name, DJ Mijo, mijo meaning our son.
The loved ones he is leaving behind, but never alone, include his girlfriend, Veronica Marez; Veronica’s daughter, London Melendez, whom he loved as if she was his own; his birth mother, Virginia Lujan; his mom, Herlinda Smith; his brothers, Matthew (Teniel) Smith and Jake Hodges; his sisters, Valerie (Manuel) Huerta and Jami Hodges; his grandmother, Andrea Sanchez; his nephews, Anthony and AJ Huerta, and Sean Hodges; his nieces, Arianna Huerta, Kylee Sanchez, Melonie and Rosalie Hodges; and many, many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his father, Henry “Smitty” Smith; his brother, Henry “Wedo” Smith Jr.; and his nephew and best buddy, Hunter Grien Walker-Smith, with whom he will be laid to rest per Adrian’s request.
Please know Adrian wouldn’t want us to mourn for him. For 27 years, he would have said, he had the time of his life. So as of today think of this when you are thinking of him or our family: “Live each day as it was your last day on earth, as Adrian did, because you never know, it just might be.”
Greer’s Mortuary of Winslow was in charge of the arrangements.
