Obituary from flammfh.com:
Always excited and ready for a get together with family and friends, 2 days before her 97th birthday, Ethel Elber Smith left this world on Friday, Sept 10, 2021 to celebrate her birthday in heaven with her husband and a multitude of family and friends who have gone before.
Ethel was born September 12, 1924, the middle child to Grace Clark Elber and Joe Elber in Menan, Idaho. She had two older brothers and two younger siblings, a sister and a brother. Growing up on the family farm, her early years were dedicated to working hard, learning to make do with what little they had and sharing with others in need. Ethel embraced the value of community by spending time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who all lived near by.
Ethel's love for community and having fun extended into her school life in Menan where she attended both grade school and graduated high school. It's hard to tell what Ethel enjoyed most about school, academics or extracurricular. The cold and snow of winter was minimized by riding to school in a horse drawn sleigh full of straw all snuggled down in quilts to keep warm. Singing in the choir, playing in the band, cheering at games, dancing her heart out, were all evidence of Ethel's unquenchable school a fond memory for the whole family. and love of a good time.
World events took a tragic turn December 7, 1941 when Ethel was a senior in high school. While out ice skating, she heard the awful news that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese, forcing America into World War II. Wanting to be a part of the war effort, many of her close friends and neighbors enlisted and left Menan. Ethel accepted a governmental offer to train young women in Pocatello at ISU in the cooking trade.
It's unclear in which order they came, but Ethel's time in Pocatello would leave her with two major life changes. The first, cooking school left her with a lifetime distain of cooking, the second, meeting Gordon Smith left her with a lifetime of loving him. Ethel thought Gordon was the best looking man she had ever seen with his blonde hair, flashing blue eyes, and a stylish blue shirt to match his eyes. The nation was at war, and with their future uncertain, she and Gordon wasted no time in getting married and enjoyed 58 years of marriage, solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 5, 1960. Just two months after they were married Gordon left for the army.
The first years of their marriage were spent apart, Ethel returning to Menan to live with her parents and Gordon in the Philippines. All eligible young men were gone to the war effort, so Ethel's family was desperate for her help back in the fields. Grief and uncertainty were common to Ethel having received the news of several neighbors and friends who perished in the war. Her joy was unspeakable upon the ending of war and Gordon's eventual return.
Ethel had always dreamed of being a city girl, so she was elated when Gordon returned home and they moved to Rexburg to compete with all the other returning vets for housing. Rexburg is where they built their lives, established their community and raised their 6 children: Dixie (Bill) Sensenbach, Idaho Falls, ID: Rob (Sally) Smith, Rexburg ID: Lujean (Mike ) Thompson, West Valley City, UT: James (Rita) Smith, Rexburg ID: Marlene (Larry) Edwards, Rexburg, ID: Gaylene (Rick) Austin, Morgan Hill, Calif, 22 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and many great-great grandchildren.
The city girl dream was short lived when Gordon took a job farming, but Ethel's way of facing this challenge was to work tirelessly beside him on the farm and could be found each fall during potato harvest working long hours in the cellar.
Life's hardships were handled with grace and strength, not letting her numerous medical challenges slow her down. Talented and determined, she loved to travel visiting her daughters each year in Arizona, Utah and California. An excellent seamstress she made her young children's clothing, counted cross stitch, and quilts. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church, she served many responsibilities in the Relief Society, choir, mutual, Sunday School, Cub Scouts, and children's primary. She enjoyed working outdoors and always had a garden, raspberries and beautiful flowers. A fond memory for the whole family is the annual Smith Family Christmas Eve party. Ethel, a real force to be reckoned with, loved playing and winning games never losing her competitive edge even as her health declined.
No need to call ahead Ethel's welcoming door was always open. She made time for anyone who needed advice, a shoulder to cry on, or a listening ear. Ethel Elber Smith you will be missed!
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rexburg North Stake Center. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and also on Friday from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. at the Stake Center. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery.
Always excited and ready for a get together with family and friends, 2 days before her 97th birthday, Ethel Elber Smith left this world on Friday, Sept 10, 2021 to celebrate her birthday in heaven with her husband and a multitude of family and friends who have gone before.
Ethel was born September 12, 1924, the middle child to Grace Clark Elber and Joe Elber in Menan, Idaho. She had two older brothers and two younger siblings, a sister and a brother. Growing up on the family farm, her early years were dedicated to working hard, learning to make do with what little they had and sharing with others in need. Ethel embraced the value of community by spending time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who all lived near by.
Ethel's love for community and having fun extended into her school life in Menan where she attended both grade school and graduated high school. It's hard to tell what Ethel enjoyed most about school, academics or extracurricular. The cold and snow of winter was minimized by riding to school in a horse drawn sleigh full of straw all snuggled down in quilts to keep warm. Singing in the choir, playing in the band, cheering at games, dancing her heart out, were all evidence of Ethel's unquenchable school a fond memory for the whole family. and love of a good time.
World events took a tragic turn December 7, 1941 when Ethel was a senior in high school. While out ice skating, she heard the awful news that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese, forcing America into World War II. Wanting to be a part of the war effort, many of her close friends and neighbors enlisted and left Menan. Ethel accepted a governmental offer to train young women in Pocatello at ISU in the cooking trade.
It's unclear in which order they came, but Ethel's time in Pocatello would leave her with two major life changes. The first, cooking school left her with a lifetime distain of cooking, the second, meeting Gordon Smith left her with a lifetime of loving him. Ethel thought Gordon was the best looking man she had ever seen with his blonde hair, flashing blue eyes, and a stylish blue shirt to match his eyes. The nation was at war, and with their future uncertain, she and Gordon wasted no time in getting married and enjoyed 58 years of marriage, solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 5, 1960. Just two months after they were married Gordon left for the army.
The first years of their marriage were spent apart, Ethel returning to Menan to live with her parents and Gordon in the Philippines. All eligible young men were gone to the war effort, so Ethel's family was desperate for her help back in the fields. Grief and uncertainty were common to Ethel having received the news of several neighbors and friends who perished in the war. Her joy was unspeakable upon the ending of war and Gordon's eventual return.
Ethel had always dreamed of being a city girl, so she was elated when Gordon returned home and they moved to Rexburg to compete with all the other returning vets for housing. Rexburg is where they built their lives, established their community and raised their 6 children: Dixie (Bill) Sensenbach, Idaho Falls, ID: Rob (Sally) Smith, Rexburg ID: Lujean (Mike ) Thompson, West Valley City, UT: James (Rita) Smith, Rexburg ID: Marlene (Larry) Edwards, Rexburg, ID: Gaylene (Rick) Austin, Morgan Hill, Calif, 22 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and many great-great grandchildren.
The city girl dream was short lived when Gordon took a job farming, but Ethel's way of facing this challenge was to work tirelessly beside him on the farm and could be found each fall during potato harvest working long hours in the cellar.
Life's hardships were handled with grace and strength, not letting her numerous medical challenges slow her down. Talented and determined, she loved to travel visiting her daughters each year in Arizona, Utah and California. An excellent seamstress she made her young children's clothing, counted cross stitch, and quilts. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church, she served many responsibilities in the Relief Society, choir, mutual, Sunday School, Cub Scouts, and children's primary. She enjoyed working outdoors and always had a garden, raspberries and beautiful flowers. A fond memory for the whole family is the annual Smith Family Christmas Eve party. Ethel, a real force to be reckoned with, loved playing and winning games never losing her competitive edge even as her health declined.
No need to call ahead Ethel's welcoming door was always open. She made time for anyone who needed advice, a shoulder to cry on, or a listening ear. Ethel Elber Smith you will be missed!
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rexburg North Stake Center. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and also on Friday from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. at the Stake Center. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery.
Obituary from flammfh.com:
Always excited and ready for a get together with family and friends, 2 days before her 97th birthday, Ethel Elber Smith left this world on Friday, Sept 10, 2021 to celebrate her birthday in heaven with her husband and a multitude of family and friends who have gone before.
Ethel was born September 12, 1924, the middle child to Grace Clark Elber and Joe Elber in Menan, Idaho. She had two older brothers and two younger siblings, a sister and a brother. Growing up on the family farm, her early years were dedicated to working hard, learning to make do with what little they had and sharing with others in need. Ethel embraced the value of community by spending time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who all lived near by.
Ethel's love for community and having fun extended into her school life in Menan where she attended both grade school and graduated high school. It's hard to tell what Ethel enjoyed most about school, academics or extracurricular. The cold and snow of winter was minimized by riding to school in a horse drawn sleigh full of straw all snuggled down in quilts to keep warm. Singing in the choir, playing in the band, cheering at games, dancing her heart out, were all evidence of Ethel's unquenchable school a fond memory for the whole family. and love of a good time.
World events took a tragic turn December 7, 1941 when Ethel was a senior in high school. While out ice skating, she heard the awful news that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese, forcing America into World War II. Wanting to be a part of the war effort, many of her close friends and neighbors enlisted and left Menan. Ethel accepted a governmental offer to train young women in Pocatello at ISU in the cooking trade.
It's unclear in which order they came, but Ethel's time in Pocatello would leave her with two major life changes. The first, cooking school left her with a lifetime distain of cooking, the second, meeting Gordon Smith left her with a lifetime of loving him. Ethel thought Gordon was the best looking man she had ever seen with his blonde hair, flashing blue eyes, and a stylish blue shirt to match his eyes. The nation was at war, and with their future uncertain, she and Gordon wasted no time in getting married and enjoyed 58 years of marriage, solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 5, 1960. Just two months after they were married Gordon left for the army.
The first years of their marriage were spent apart, Ethel returning to Menan to live with her parents and Gordon in the Philippines. All eligible young men were gone to the war effort, so Ethel's family was desperate for her help back in the fields. Grief and uncertainty were common to Ethel having received the news of several neighbors and friends who perished in the war. Her joy was unspeakable upon the ending of war and Gordon's eventual return.
Ethel had always dreamed of being a city girl, so she was elated when Gordon returned home and they moved to Rexburg to compete with all the other returning vets for housing. Rexburg is where they built their lives, established their community and raised their 6 children: Dixie (Bill) Sensenbach, Idaho Falls, ID: Rob (Sally) Smith, Rexburg ID: Lujean (Mike ) Thompson, West Valley City, UT: James (Rita) Smith, Rexburg ID: Marlene (Larry) Edwards, Rexburg, ID: Gaylene (Rick) Austin, Morgan Hill, Calif, 22 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and many great-great grandchildren.
The city girl dream was short lived when Gordon took a job farming, but Ethel's way of facing this challenge was to work tirelessly beside him on the farm and could be found each fall during potato harvest working long hours in the cellar.
Life's hardships were handled with grace and strength, not letting her numerous medical challenges slow her down. Talented and determined, she loved to travel visiting her daughters each year in Arizona, Utah and California. An excellent seamstress she made her young children's clothing, counted cross stitch, and quilts. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church, she served many responsibilities in the Relief Society, choir, mutual, Sunday School, Cub Scouts, and children's primary. She enjoyed working outdoors and always had a garden, raspberries and beautiful flowers. A fond memory for the whole family is the annual Smith Family Christmas Eve party. Ethel, a real force to be reckoned with, loved playing and winning games never losing her competitive edge even as her health declined.
No need to call ahead Ethel's welcoming door was always open. She made time for anyone who needed advice, a shoulder to cry on, or a listening ear. Ethel Elber Smith you will be missed!
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rexburg North Stake Center. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and also on Friday from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. at the Stake Center. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery.
Always excited and ready for a get together with family and friends, 2 days before her 97th birthday, Ethel Elber Smith left this world on Friday, Sept 10, 2021 to celebrate her birthday in heaven with her husband and a multitude of family and friends who have gone before.
Ethel was born September 12, 1924, the middle child to Grace Clark Elber and Joe Elber in Menan, Idaho. She had two older brothers and two younger siblings, a sister and a brother. Growing up on the family farm, her early years were dedicated to working hard, learning to make do with what little they had and sharing with others in need. Ethel embraced the value of community by spending time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who all lived near by.
Ethel's love for community and having fun extended into her school life in Menan where she attended both grade school and graduated high school. It's hard to tell what Ethel enjoyed most about school, academics or extracurricular. The cold and snow of winter was minimized by riding to school in a horse drawn sleigh full of straw all snuggled down in quilts to keep warm. Singing in the choir, playing in the band, cheering at games, dancing her heart out, were all evidence of Ethel's unquenchable school a fond memory for the whole family. and love of a good time.
World events took a tragic turn December 7, 1941 when Ethel was a senior in high school. While out ice skating, she heard the awful news that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese, forcing America into World War II. Wanting to be a part of the war effort, many of her close friends and neighbors enlisted and left Menan. Ethel accepted a governmental offer to train young women in Pocatello at ISU in the cooking trade.
It's unclear in which order they came, but Ethel's time in Pocatello would leave her with two major life changes. The first, cooking school left her with a lifetime distain of cooking, the second, meeting Gordon Smith left her with a lifetime of loving him. Ethel thought Gordon was the best looking man she had ever seen with his blonde hair, flashing blue eyes, and a stylish blue shirt to match his eyes. The nation was at war, and with their future uncertain, she and Gordon wasted no time in getting married and enjoyed 58 years of marriage, solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 5, 1960. Just two months after they were married Gordon left for the army.
The first years of their marriage were spent apart, Ethel returning to Menan to live with her parents and Gordon in the Philippines. All eligible young men were gone to the war effort, so Ethel's family was desperate for her help back in the fields. Grief and uncertainty were common to Ethel having received the news of several neighbors and friends who perished in the war. Her joy was unspeakable upon the ending of war and Gordon's eventual return.
Ethel had always dreamed of being a city girl, so she was elated when Gordon returned home and they moved to Rexburg to compete with all the other returning vets for housing. Rexburg is where they built their lives, established their community and raised their 6 children: Dixie (Bill) Sensenbach, Idaho Falls, ID: Rob (Sally) Smith, Rexburg ID: Lujean (Mike ) Thompson, West Valley City, UT: James (Rita) Smith, Rexburg ID: Marlene (Larry) Edwards, Rexburg, ID: Gaylene (Rick) Austin, Morgan Hill, Calif, 22 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and many great-great grandchildren.
The city girl dream was short lived when Gordon took a job farming, but Ethel's way of facing this challenge was to work tirelessly beside him on the farm and could be found each fall during potato harvest working long hours in the cellar.
Life's hardships were handled with grace and strength, not letting her numerous medical challenges slow her down. Talented and determined, she loved to travel visiting her daughters each year in Arizona, Utah and California. An excellent seamstress she made her young children's clothing, counted cross stitch, and quilts. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church, she served many responsibilities in the Relief Society, choir, mutual, Sunday School, Cub Scouts, and children's primary. She enjoyed working outdoors and always had a garden, raspberries and beautiful flowers. A fond memory for the whole family is the annual Smith Family Christmas Eve party. Ethel, a real force to be reckoned with, loved playing and winning games never losing her competitive edge even as her health declined.
No need to call ahead Ethel's welcoming door was always open. She made time for anyone who needed advice, a shoulder to cry on, or a listening ear. Ethel Elber Smith you will be missed!
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rexburg North Stake Center. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and also on Friday from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. at the Stake Center. Interment will be in the Sugar City Cemetery.
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