Lawanna Roberts Smith Obituary (1928 - 2015)

LaWanna Roberts Smith Click here to listen to Funeral Recording Plain City - Our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, LaWanna Roberts Smith, 86, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2015 at Apple Village in Layton. She was born September 25, 1928 in Etna, Lincoln, Wyoming, the daughter of Everal Llewellyn and Gladys Mary (Wright) Roberts. She was raised on a farm in a small community on the outskirts of civilization in Etna, Wyoming where electricity was nonexistent, food was cooked on a wood burning stove, water was hand pumped into the house, and going to the bathroom meant a trip across the back yard to a small wood outhouse. LaWanna learned to find joy in the simple things in life such as making mud pies with her older sister, going on picnics with her family, riding on horseback to take the cattle up to the Greys River for summer feeding, and feeding the chickens and cows. Entertainment was an occasional dance and singing with her family and friends. Graduating from Star Valley High School, during World War II, meant having to start out with only a basic education. Yet, LaWanna was excited when her parents took her to Brigham City, where she worked as a waitress in a small cafe. There she met her sweetheart, Vernon James Smith, from Tremonton. They were married in the Logan Temple, Feb 4, 1948. They lived in Etna, Wyoming; Tremonton; Ogden and settled in Plain City, where they raised their five children. Her greatest joy came from being a "Stay at Home Mom," baking homemade bread, sewing clothes for her children, caring for a beautiful vegetable garden and putting up preserves. She was often heard, by her children singing old familiar songs like, "She'll be Comin around the Mountain, Que Sera Sera (Whatever will be will be), Mockin bird hill, lnsy winsy spider, and Oh Give Me a Home" while cleaning around the house. LaWanna always made sure Christmas was a special time marked with colorful lights, brightly wrapped presents and savory smells of Christmas dinner. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, LaWanna served in many church callings in Primary, Young Women's, and Relief Society. As her children became older she and Vernon found it necessary for her to work to make ends meet. She worked as a seamstress, a cook for the IRS cafeteria, managed the Ben Lomond Bowling lanes cafeteria, cleaned Appliances for Sure Appliance in Salt Lake City, and canned fruits and vegetables at the North Ogden Canning Factory. Her hard work in caring for the family and her part time jobs often left her very tired, yet she always found ways to find joy in life. Vernon and LaWanna loved to travel. They even bought a travel trailer and visited nearly every state in the union including a couple of trips to Alaska. After Vernon's death, in 1985, LaWanna continued to travel visiting her family and children and touring lsrael and Europe collecting a wide range of salt and pepper shakers to remind her of her adventures. LaWanna is survived by her daughter Kathy (Ross) Taylor of Plain City; four sons, James (Pamela) Smith of Plain City, Veloid Smith of Evanston, Kelley (Julie) Smith of Nampa, Idaho , Dennis (Lisa) Smith of Plain City, 19 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Vernon, her sister Yvonne Thurman, two brothers Charles and McKay Roberts and her parents. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 27, 2015 at the Plain City Stake Center, 4630 West 2150 North, with Bishop Michael Thayne officiating. Friends may call on the family at Myers Ogden Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd on Sunday, July 26th from 6 to 8 p.m. and prior to services on Monday at the church from 9:40 to 10:40 a.m. Interment, Riverview Cemetery, Tremonton, Utah. Special thanks to LaWanna's brothers, sister, neighbors, family, friends and caregivers at the various care centers, who loved, respected and cared for her throughout her life. VisitationMyers Mortuary - Ogden 100 Monroe Blvd. Ogden, UT 84404 July 26, 2015 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ServicePlain City Stake Center 4630 West 2150 North Plain City, UT July 27, 2015 11:00 AM CemeteryTremonton Cemetery 200 East 1200 South Tremonton, UT July 27, 2015