Councilwoman’s mom always had front row seat
Esther Smicklas, mother of Santa Monica Councilwoman Pam O’Connor, died on Friday at the age of 93.
During the 12 years Smicklas lived in Santa Monica, she accompanied her daughter and participated in many c o m m u n i t y events, including dozens of City Council meetings. She was seen at virtually every event and public meeting O’Connor attended in her capacity as a City Councilwoman and community member.
Wherever O’Connor went, Smicklas wasn’t far behind. She was a fixture at the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Dance Series during the summers, enjoying the diverse music and performers. This past summer, Smicklas listened to the bands in her wheel-chair behind stage, along with City Councilman Ken Genser’s mother, who sat in her wheelchair next to her.
Genser said Smicklas had a strong sense of humor. He remembers Smicklas riding in the front seat of his car on a road trip to Yosemite where O’Connor and Genser were attending a conference a few years ago. As it started to get dark, Smicklas started getting nervous and determined Genser needed help navigating the windy roads.
“She decided to call out every curve for me,” Genser said. “It was getting a bit much so I tried to bait her with a political issue to talk about... but then she said to me, ‘Oh no, you are not going to take me off this curve,’ and then she yelled ‘curve!’”
Weeks later, she saw Genser and yelled “curve, curve” to him as a joke.
Smicklas attended City Council meetings and sat near the front of the room. Oftentimes, O’Connor would have to step down from the dais to re-adjust her mother’s hearing aid, which gave off loud feedback and blared throughout the room.
“She was a character and she knew it,” said Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom. “She always had something to say and she was very blunt about it, but always constructive and positive.”
As the widow of Chicago Police detective Emil Smicklas, Esther Smicklas was an avid supporter of the Santa Monica police and fire departments. She always enjoyed young people and encouraged organizations such as the Police Activities League.
Smicklas never drove a car and used public transit — throughout most of the 20th and into the 21st century — to get around, and especially enjoyed Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus. She participated in the Big Blue Bus rodeos as a passenger on the bus driven by O’Connor.
Even before the concept became popular, Smicklas was a proponent of lifelong-learning, encouraging people of all ages to continue their education through ongoing learning. An avid reader, she enjoyed many hours at the Santa Monica and Los Angeles Public libraries.
Genser said she would read newspapers daily and clipped out many articles for him that were relevant to local politics.
“She was a very curious woman and fascinated with space exploration,” Genser said.
Smicklas also was an artist, drawing and sketching throughout her life. Smicklas was involved in children’s affairs, including Little League and was a champion for youth and women. She enjoyed gardening and the outdoors. Smicklas was very proud of her extensive lapel pin collection.
Most of all, Smicklas enjoyed people of all ages, and with her effusive personality, inspired others.
Smicklas loved the “big city” and worked in downtown Chicago in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, creating floral arrangements in florist shops in the Bismarck Hotel, the Palmer House, the Drake Hotel and the Blackstone Hotel.
The sixth of eight children born to Martin and Anna Block in Kankakee, Ill., in 1911, Smicklas in 1936 married Emil Smicklas. They had three children: O’Connor; Tyke Caravelli and son-in-law Alfredo Caravelli of Santa Monica; and son Emil Jr. of Glenwood, Ill. She had six grandchildren and five great-grandchil-dren. Smicklas will be buried in Chicago.
Mayor Bloom said every time he saw Smicklas, she would always ask about his sons Zack and Emmett.
“She would say, ‘where are the boys?’ and ask if they were practicing their music because music is important,” said Bloom, who visited her at the hospital Thursday night.
“She had 93 really solid good years and that’s about all you can ask for,” he said.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be sent to the Santa Monica Police Activities League and the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 4, 2004. Read the original PDF.