Wanda Smith

Wanda Ashcroft Smith graduated from this mortal existence in the early morning hours of September 7, 2024 after completing 99 years and 43 days of valiantly devoting her life to family and church.

Mom was born on July 26, 1925 in Hyde Park, Utah to Henry Dell and Myrle Thurston Ashcroft and lived her whole life in Hyde Park until she married. She loved growing up in their old adobe two-room home where they had the modern convenience of running cold water and electricity but had to rely on the cooking stove as their heat source during the cold winter months. This would cause the walls to “sweat” and then the condensation would freeze, enabling her and her brother Rulon to write on the walls in the frost with their fingertips much to the chagrin of their mother. Outside of the home were rose bushes from starts that were brought over from England by her grandmother Mary Ann Hawkes that would fill the air with their fragrance. Mom acknowledged with deep gratitude her noble heritage. We are thrilled at the prospect of the joyous reunion taking place.

One event that took place early in Mom’s childhood was when her Grandma Thurston’s house burned down. In the middle of the excitement her mother, who was eight months pregnant, disappeared. A few minutes later she exited the burning home carrying a beautiful keepsake doll that mom was given a few years earlier as a Christmas present and was being stored in an upstairs storage closet. That doll was about the only thing saved from the upstairs and was a priceless treasure to Mom throughout her life.

Mom attended school in Hyde Park and graduated from North Cache High. We would often hear her singing “Here’s to you our dear old North Cache!” She made many lifelong friends there and had many influential teachers that impacted her greatly. She had beautiful penmanship as a result of classes taught by R. Homer Hyde who was the principal of Hyde Park Central School. She enjoyed Math, English, and developed a love of reading. One of her favorite subjects was reading about Abraham Lincoln.

After graduation she found employment first at the Cache Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America and then a short time later accepted a position at Sears, Roebuck and Company as their personnel clerk and timekeeper. Part of her responsibilities there included operating the switchboard. Years later, one young returning serviceman who had just been hired in the sporting goods department would “buzz” the operator and ask for a line. Mom would later joke that she “fed him a line and hooked him!” With that she had met her eternal companion Darell Smith although it took some time for her to realize just how deeply she felt for him. Mom and Dad were married in the Logan Temple on June 2, 1948. Together they raised two daughters and four sons.

After marriage, Mom devoted her life to being a mother and a homemaker. As children came into their world, Mom added to their finances by being as economical as she could. She maintained a large garden, did her own canning and preserving, and sewed most of hers and the kids clothes. She made wonderful homemade meals and was a master of making homemade bread and rolls, raspberry, strawberry and marmalade jams, and carmels during the holidays. Thanksgiving dinners were held for the entire family for over fifteen years until the family became too large and had to be broken up to multiple homes. Dinners were still held at home for many more years but with smaller numbers. Thanksgiving dinners always included the special treat of Grandma Hurren’s plumb pudding with Carmel dip. Mom loved to crochet and spent countless hours making afghans for each child, grandchild, and most of her great-grandchildren. These afghans have now become priceless treasures to us. She enjoyed listening to Aggie basketball, the Utah Stars, and the Utah Jazz with John Stockton being her favorite!

Mom served in many different capacities in her beloved Tenth Ward, having lived most of her married life there and making cherished friends along the way. She held positions in the Relief Society in both the Ward and Stake and served in the Primary including Primary President. She was faithful in her callings and supportive of Dad in his callings as well. She got to meet many General Authorities through dad’s callings. Her greatest and proudest accomplishments were in the name extraction program in which she spent 32 years in service of extracting German names from old records in preparation for their temple work to be accomplished. She had many faith promoting experiences when, after struggling to make out a name or a city she would suddenly have the information appear before her eyes. She received a special recognition certificate signed by President Thomas S. Monson for her service. Again, she made lifelong friends during that time.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband Darell A. Smith, her parents, and brothers Adrian, Rulon, and Marriner

Mom is survived by her children, ej (Bob) Huntzinger, Hayward, California; Myrlene (Frank) Buck, Murray, Utah; Michael (Kathryn) Smith, Broomfield, Colorado; Kevin (Sue) Smith, Boise, Idaho; Brad (Laurie) Smith, Smithfield,Utah; Larry (Cindy) Smith, Nibley, Utah; her sister Annette, Rigby, Idaho; 24 grandchildren, and 58 great-grandchildren with one on the way!

The family would like to acknowledge those who helped care for Mom these last few years including the entire staff at Maple Springs and especially those on the “Nature” wing. A special thanks goes out to Monty Melani RN at Primrose Hospice, Tara Smith former CNA at Primrose Hospice (you were mom’s angel!), and D’Anne Moon CNM at Mt. Naomi Woman’s Health. There are no sufficient words to express our appreciation.

Following Moms wishes (and under threat that she WILL come back to haunt us) there will be only a small graveside service held for family.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.