Deseret News, December 9, 2010.
Marguerite Rees Smith 1919 ~ 2010 Ruth Marguerite Rees Smith passed from this life surrounded by family and loved ones on December 7 at her home in Provo.
She was born in Nephi, Utah on December 28, 1919 to Thomas David and Florence Thompson Rees and was the youngest of their five children. Her childhood was spent in Nephi, Salt Lake City, and Twin Falls, Idaho. When her father was called to preside over the LDS Australia Mission she was fifteen and began a life-long love of missionary work. She served in Australia, as a stake missionary twice, and with her husband in Hong Kong.
She studied at the University of Sydney, returned to graduate with high honors from the University of Utah in Biology, and taught for a year at Irving Junior High in Salt Lake.
She married her sweetheart J. Alvin Smith on Valentine’s Day in 1942 and moved to California where he worked for Lockheed Aircraft during the war and then became an optometrist. He passed away in Provo in 2002. Marguerite and Alvin reared their nine children in Burbank, California where she was active in the PTA, served as a Deputy County Assessor, and was a licensed realtor. She loved working with and serving the youth – as a dance instructor, roadshow director, YW Camp Director, and seminary teacher. She was a ward and stake Relief Society president, a life-long visiting teacher, a temple ordinance worker in Los Angeles and later in Provo where they moved in 1991. Family, dear friends and the gospel were the joy and focus of her life.
She is survived by her children Sydney (Noel) Reynolds of Orem, Rees (KayLynn) of Santa Clarita, CA, Kathleen (Robert) Eliason of Provo, Craig (Marilyn) of Sandy, Douglas (Suzanne) of Spokane, WA, Robert (Tammy) of Foothill Ranch, CA, Steven (Melanie) of Idaho Falls, ID, Florence (David) Knecht of Mission Viejo, CA, Daniel (Anne) of Centerville, UT; 56 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Chad and Allison and Marguerite’s good friends at Alpine Hospice, especially Dana, Darlena, Genselvi, and Verna.
Funeral services will be held at Pleasant View 5th Ward Chapel, at 1060 E. 2400 North in Provo on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 12:00 noon. Viewing Friday at Walker Sanderson Funeral Home, 646 East 800 North in Orem from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the church on Saturday from 10:45-11:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the LDS Church Missionary or Perpetual Education Funds. Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.walkerfamilymortuary.com