Calista A. Smith

Bethel, CT.  November 30, 2022. Calista Smith, 85, passed away at home with her wife, Kim Fontana, at her side.  Born June 23, 1937, Calista grew up in Binghamton and Windsor, NY.  As a toddler, she taught herself to play the piano at a neighbor’s house unbeknownst to her family.   The neighbor’s housekeeper never shared that Calista was a budding pianist.  As a result, Mrs. Smith was shocked to be invited to a Christmas celebration at Calista’s school where, the kindergarten teacher insisted, Calista would be accompanying the class on the piano.  Soon after, Calista had a piano and lessons.

She continued to study music throughout school.  After finishing high school in Binghamton, she began her college career in piano performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studying under Emil Danenberg.  She transferred to The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston to join its then brand new jazz program, where Freddy Cole was her classmate.  After playing professionally, she completed her bachelor’s degree with a double major in music education and piano performance at Ithaca College.  She then began a teaching career in the Ithaca City Schools where she led innovative and award-winning choirs and promoted commissioned works and contemporary music for 15 years.  She was a beloved teacher.  In 1982, she founded the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts and served as its Director for the next 29 years, retiring only when she and Kim moved to Connecticut. She was proud that her idea for a community arts school continues to thrive today, with TCFA in its fifth decade.   As a teacher of music, she was much loved by her students, children and adults.  Even so, Calista was most proud of being Vice Mom to Todd and Xeno- a role that included a lot of football playing and school lunch preparation. 

As a pianist, whether playing classical music or her singularly evocative renditions of jazz standards, Calista remained much sought after throughout her life.  Her whimsical handwritten notes always brought a smile to the recipient.   She was also an avid tennis player well into her seventies and enjoyed most sports. She loved the deep woods of the Adirondacks where she was equally at home felling trees with her trusty chainsaw, making an apple pie, or playing an old upright piano for a singalong with neighbors.

Always a fighter, she adapted in later years as her body failed her, taking up reading non-fiction when her eyesight became too poor for her to continue to play tennis or readily read music.  In the last year, she became almost entirely blind and suffered from several chronic diseases, but she remained a great support to Kim and continued to enjoy traveling, attending concerts, and celebrating life events with family.

Calista was a quick and sure judge of people, making friends easily and keeping them.  Her many friends remained in her heart until the end.  They all remember Calista’s prominent role in hosting elaborate dinner parties and fostering spirited conversation.  She leaves her many dear friends behind as well as step-son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Shannon Taylor of Westport, CT and grandchildren Robin and Reese; her sister, Pamela Smith of Vestal, NY; her sister-in-law, Sharon Marvin of Ormond Beach, Florida, and her brother-in-law Gary Fontana and sister-in-law Denise Silver, of Pebble Beach, CA.  Calista was predeceased by her parents, Neville and Doris Smith, and step-son, Xeno Taylor-Fontana.

Where words fail, music speaks–Hans Christian Andersen

Donations in Calista’s memory may be made to the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts (5 McLallen St, Trumansburg, NY 14886 https://www.tburgconservatory.org/) or the Adirondack Loon Center (75 Main St, Saranac Lake, NY 12983 http://www.adkloon.org/support).  In either case, please mention that your gift honors Calista. A Memorial Service to Celebrate Calista's life will be held at the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine arts on May 6, 2023 at 4pm.   All will be welcome.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Calista A. Smith, please visit our floral store.