When Nancy Smith was elected to what was then called the Albuquerque City Commission in 1971, a newspaper headline declared “Voters Tab 1st Woman For Post.”
Smith, who was elected as Nancy Koch, wasn’t about to rest on her laurels.
In fact, Smith’s daughter Marty Koch Johnson said, every time people made a fuss about women breaking into male-dominated fields, Smith would say, “I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal. We are half of the population.”
Smith made a name for herself in city and statewide organizations in the early ’70s before moving to Denver and finding her way to prominent leadership positions there as well. Remembered by her family as independent, intelligent and ahead of her time, she died Dec. 22 in Colorado. She was 80 years old.
Smith was born in South Bend, Ind., in 1931, to Nelson E. and Pauline Treesh Dodge. She graduated from DePauw University in Indiana and moved to Albuquerque in 1957 with first husband James Koch, a doctor. The pair had three children: Marty, Carol and Steven.
In 1971, there was an election to fill an empty seat on the city commission. Thirty candidates were on the nonpartisan ballot, but Nancy Koch stood out from the crowd.
James Koch said the family ran her campaign from their home, spending about $200 on posters and fliers as local news outlets seized on the novelty of a female candidate.
But it wasn’t novelty alone that grabbed attention. The Journal endorsed her, praising her “intelligent and calm” approach to the city’s problems and “because she has probably done more homework in connection with city government than most of the other candidates.”
Steven Koch remembers going out with the family on election night and listening to news of her victory on a small radio. “It was really quite surprising. We didn’t know what to expect.”
Johnson remembers going to city commission meetings afterward, hearing onlookers say with curiosity, “‘There’s that commissioner Koch,’” but by the end of meetings, she’d hear, “‘You know, I’m pretty impressed with her.’”
While on the commission, Smith was elected president of the New Mexico Municipal League. She also helped oversee the adoption of a new town charter, taking effect in 1974, that replaced the commission with a council and mayor.
In 1974, she and James Koch divorced, and later that year she married former City Manager Herb Smith. She declined to run for the new city council, while Herb Smith ran for mayor and lost to Harry E. Kinney.
Afterward, Nancy and Herb Smith moved to Denver, while the children stayed in Albuquerque for a few years before moving with their father to Hawaii.
In Denver, Smith made a name for herself with nonprofits and civic organizations as diverse as the Coors Foundation and the City Club of Denver. In 1988, she became the club’s first female president.
“She didn’t work a regular job, but she was always busy,” Steven Koch remembered.
She made leadership look natural and easy, Johnson said, with a leadership style heavy on building consensus and working from the bottom up. She was very civil and diplomatic – “I don’t think I ever saw her lose her cool,” Steven Koch said – but she also had a quick wit that could cut right to the chase if needed.
One of her favorite things to do was shopping, said her daughter Carol Koch, whether that meant clothes for herself or unique gifts for others. Carol Koch said her mother once gave her a stool shaped like a cow with udders.
In her spare time, she enjoyed playing cribbage and fishing, Steven Koch said. She was also an avid fan of the Denver Broncos.
Smith is survived by her three children and their families. In accordance with her wishes, no public services are planned. To share your memories with the family, email RememberingNancySmith@gmail.com.br>
Albuquerque Voted Her to Post in 1971Smith
Nancy Smith
— This article appeared on page C03 of the Albuquerque Journal
Reprint story -- Email the reporter at mandazola@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3881
