Heather Conway Liberman Smith 5/8/2022

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Heather Barbara Conway Liberman Smith on May 8, 2022. She passed away at her home, surrounded by her family.

Heather was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1962.

She grew up in Orange, CT, and attended Amity High School, Duke University and Georgetown University. As a young girl, Heather was introduced to basketball through her father, who coached her recreation team. In high school, she set a school record of 723 rebounds in her two years as a varsity center, tallied 862 career points, and was one of the captains of the Connecticut Junior Olympic Team in New Orleans. In the Class LL State Championship, she scored the basket that sent the game into overtime and ended the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and a state title. She was named MVP for the tournament. When she graduated from Amity she earned a full scholarship to Duke University; the first time such an offer had been made to a female athlete.

In 1983, she married Ken Liberman and raised Ken’s son, Ari, and their children Sarah and Kyle in Trumbull,

CT. Heather stayed active in sports through her children. She co-founded the Trumbull Recreation Girls’ Basketball League and the Trumbull Travel Basketball program. Heather was never happier than when she was with her kids doing the activities that they loved. From soccer tournaments to rec basketball gyms, standing in the rain through Trumbull Football games, taking pictures of her daughter coaching, and watching her daughter perform on stage and watching her son sing at Carnegie Hall.

Heather worked for Yale University as a Communications Coordinator at Yale Health until her retirement. Aside from her job at Yale, Heather was a talented photographer and ran her own business as a photographer, called Heather Liberman Photography.

Heather loved the ocean and never missed a summer at the beach. She was an excellent gardener and cook and hosted many joyful gatherings throughout the years. She was a lifelong Giants and Yankees fan. She was the first and last one on the dance floor and had a fantastic sense of humor. Heather loved to laugh. She was an avid traveler and made many trips traveling through Europe and Southeast Asia. She traveled far and wide but would tell you her favorite place was any time she was with her grandchildren.

After becoming a widow, Heather continued to live life to the fullest. She took her kids on a safari in Africa and continued finding joy in all things. She soon found love again and she and Scot Smith married on the beach in Long Island in 2016.

Heather is survived by her loving husband, Scot Smith; her children, Sarah Garcia Scalici (Demian) and Kyle Liberman; her stepchildren, Ari (Tracy) Liberman, Kayla Smith, Tess Smith, and Maia Smith; her grandchildren whom she adored, Meira,

Cy, Brigg, and Eliza Liberman and Kensley Garcia

Scalici; her mother, Barbara Conway; her father, Roger T. Conway, Sr.; and stepmother, Andrea; her siblings, Kirsten Mason and Andrew Conway, their spouses and her many nieces and nephews; and her sweet dog, Lola. She was predeceased by her first husband and father of her children, Kenneth Liberman; and her brother, Roger Conway Jr.

Heather loved fiercely, laughed loudly, smiled often, marched proudly, swore elegantly, danced like no one was watching, hugged tight, and lived with but one regret: not talking to the basketball coach at Yale and attending Yale University. She would want us all to remember her with love and laughter and to love with our whole hearts, take care of each other and dance whenever we can.

Please join us in celebrating her life Sunday Morning, May 15th from 10:00 am to 12 pm at the pavilions at Jacobs Beach in Guilford, CT. Bring your own beach chair.

In lieu of flowers, we request that memorial contributions be made to the MMRF, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, https://themmrf.org/