R. L. Smith

RIVER HEIGHTS, UTAH: R.L. Smith, 84, passed away at his home in River Heights, Utah, on July 11, 2008.
He was born on January 13, 1924, in Rigby, Idaho, the second of nine children born to Silas Asael and Hilda Louella Wilbur Smith. After graduating from high school in Blackfoot, Idaho, in 1942, he married his high school sweetheart, Dora Mangum, in the Salt Lake LDS temple on September 7, 1944. Together they had 5 children, Marjie McCormick, River Heights, Ronald Lee (Carolyn), Henderson, Nevada, Steven Asael (Cynthia), River Heights, Howard Alan (Vonda) Newton, and Kaye (Steven) Lucherini, Logan.
R.L. served honorably in the Army during WWII in the South Pacific. After being discharged, he got a BS and an MS from Utah State Agricultural College, and a PhD from UCLA in 1955. He spent more than 30 years teaching and doing research at USU as an agronomist in the Soils and Bio-metrology department. He served for a time as the department head, traveling extensively throughout the world. He worked with many international students, and welcomed them into his home. He lived for two years in Bolivia while working with CID through Utah State University, and in Somalia for three years working with USAID.
After retirement he served three missions with his wife, in Spain, South Carolina, and Mississippi. He and Dora then served as temple officiators for Spanish sessions at the Logan Temple.
A life long Aggie fan, he held season tickets to both the football and basketball games, and looked forward to attending each year. He took great pride in his garden, trying new varieties of seed developed at Utah State, and having the most intricate irrigation system on the block. He loved sharing his raspberries with family and friends.
He is survived by his brother, Bill Smith, sisters Iola Crowley and Afton Mangum, his dear niece Betty Lou Smith, all his children, 19 grand children and 10 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife of 61 years, sisters Ida Mae Mangum and Marjie Barrus and brothers Rex Smith, Bobby Smith, and Kenneth Smith.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 17, at the Providence Stake Center, 800 South 600 East, River Heights. There will be a viewing Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Allen-Hall Mortuary and at the church on Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Providence Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net