Former Malibu resident Virginia “Lady” Owens Smith died on Aug. 3. She was 80.
Smith was born in Minneapolis on Dec. 21, 1925, the daughter of Florence Catherine Webb and William Pemilton Owens. After graduating from Marshall High School she joined the Aqua Follies, a synchronized swimming team in Minneapolis and acted at the Old Log Theatre. Soon after she moved to California to attend the Pasadena Play House. She began her fitness career at Vic Tanny’s Gym, where she met and married her husband of 50 years, Rudolph Smith.
The couple raised four children in Malibu and lived in the area for 17 years.
The couple developed one of the most successful health club chains in the country-Holiday Spa Health Clubs, which later became Bally Total Fitness. They took over the Las Vegas Athletic Clubs in 1991.
Smith pioneered the development of group fitness classes and women’s programming for the modern day health club. She also created and designed the women’s only gyms within the large health club facility. In addition, she developed many popular pieces of exercise equipment that are now in health clubs all over the world.
Smith is survived by her husband, children Todd, Ginny, Barbi, and Chad, their spouses, brother Arthur Owens and sister Florence Lowe, six grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
An online tribute can be viewed at www.virginiaowenssmith.com beginning Aug. 10.