Courtney Danielle Smith Santos, known lovingly as “Court” to those closest to her, passed away on April 7, 2026, at the age of 38. She was a resident of South San Francisco, California, and her passing leaves a profound void in the hearts of all who knew her.

Courtney was born on March 27, 1988, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where she began her education at the Saudi Arabian International School, American Section, completing first grade there in June 1994. That early international upbringing shaped her into the open-hearted, adventurous person she would become. Her family eventually settled in California, where Courtney graduated with honors from Highland High School in Palmdale in June 2006. Never one to rest on her achievements, she went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of California, Irvine in June 2010, followed by a Master of Science degree, also with honors, from San Francisco State University in June 2013. Academic excellence was simply part of who she was.

Courtney built a meaningful professional career in the San Francisco Bay Area, working for Toastmasters International at their corporate office in San Francisco and later for the Delta Dental Corporate Office, also in San Francisco. Her colleagues and coworkers knew her as someone who brought warmth and energy to every room she entered.

On February 19, 2017, Courtney married the love of her life, David Europeo Santos, at the Trocadero House in Stern Grove, San Francisco. Their life together was filled with the kind of laughter, honesty, and deep companionship that made everyone around them feel at home.

Courtney was a caring, loving, joyful, and fun-loving person. She had a wonderfully sharp and irreverent sense of humor, once declaring that “Life is all about gaslighting, joy, and bloodletting.” If you knew Court, you probably laughed out loud reading that, and that is exactly how she would have wanted it.

She is survived by her devoted husband, David Europeo Santos; her loving parents, Paul and Rhonda Smith; and her three brothers, Brandon Smith, Rylan Smith, and Ian Smith.

Courtney has found peace and eternal rest in God’s grace, and may her memory continue to bring joy and light to all who were blessed to know her.