Candace S. Smith (Comerford) PhD,RN,NEA-BC

Smith, Candace S. (nee Comerford) March 30, 1963 –

June 17,2024, of Punta Gorda, Florida, after a long battle

with Cancer. Loving wife and Best Friend of 32 years to

Bill Smith; dearest mother of Katelyn Forcucci of

Davenport, Florida; Kristin Kopp (Greg) of Sykesville,

Maryland; Will Smith of Hurst, Texas; Tracy Robert (Philip)

of Frisco, Texas. Beloved Gigi to Cecelia Kopp; Natalie

Kopp; Charlie Kopp; and Loved Nani to Tristin Spino and

Ryan Zalmanoff, Loving daughter of the late Thomas R.

and Maureen J. Comerford and sister of Thomas

Comerford (Jim) and Jane Ervolino (Dave). Sister-in-law to

Cherri Gattshall and Barbara Mittleman. Also survived by nephew Justin Kiernan

and great niece Alyssa Kiernan. ln Lieu of flowers

memorial donations may be made to Lee Memorial

Hospital Nurse Education Foundation of Ft. Myers,

Florida.

Candace S. Smith-31301l963- 6/L7 12024

PhD, Rn, NEA-BC

Hospital Administrator

Candace most recently was the Vice

President of Operations & Chief Nurse

Executive at Cape Coral Hospital for Lee

Health System. She, along with her team,

guided the Hospital through the Pandemic

as well as Hurricane lan.

Born in Bradenton, Florida, at a young age

She moved with her family to Buffalo, N.Y.

She graduated from St. Martins and Mt.

Mercy Academy in South Buffalo and

started her 30 plus year nursing career at

Buffalo General Hospital after graduating

from D'Youville College in Buffalo.

Candace moved on to various leadership

positions at Unity Health System, 0 450 bed

Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., culminating

with her appointment as the Chief Nursing

Officer.

During these years at Unity, Candace

received her master's degree in public

Administration from the University of

Brockport, N.Y. Candace was appointed to

an adjunct position at SUNY Brockport, as

well.

Prior to moving to South Florida, Candace

was named Vice president and Chief

Nursing Officer for Medline Industries, a

Medical Supply Company based out of

Illinois. She then took the same position

with Voalte, a Medical Communications

Company in Sarasota, Florida.

When the Chief Nursing Officer position

opened at Manatee Memorial Hospital

in Bradenton, Florida, she was excited to

become the C.N.O of Manatee Memorial

Hospital, the place where she was born.

While at Manatee, Candace completed her

PhD in Education with a specialization in

OrganizationaI Leadership.

While there, she helped lead the evacuation

of the entire hospital during Hurricane lrma.

Dr. Candace is the author of 'Chapter

Leader's Guide to Provision of Care:

Practical lnsight on Joint Commission

Standards," a guidebook by Healthcare

Professional Organization. She holds a

board certification in Advanced Nursing

Executive from the American Nurses

Credentialing Center.

Candace is a nationally known speaker on

topics of clinical excellence, speak up, and

exemplary leadership. She served on the

boards of the Southeastern Florida-American

College of Health Care Executives, Florida

organization of Nurse Leaders, and Chaired

the State Chief Nursing Officer Council as

well as the Florida Nursing Consortium.

Candace was an adjunct Professor at Nova

Southeastern University, where she taught

Quality Management and Transforming

Care in Complex Health Systems, she has

also published a textbook, Healthcare

Quality Management: A Case Study

Approach with two other colleagues.

Candace loved dancing and has always

been a lover of music, her favorite saying

was: 'This is my favorite song". Every song

was her favorite.

A Mass at St. Therese Roman Catholic Church in North

Fort Myers, Florida along with a Celebration of Life, will

be celebrated in July at a time to be determined.