On August 8, 2019, our sweet, beautiful mother passed from this life. Mom was born 30 November, 1925, in Escalante, Utah to Tillman and Alcea Heaps Woolsey. She was the 4th of nine children. Mom was 10 years old when her mother died and consequently she was raised by her maternal grandparents, Thomas and Susannah Alvey Heaps.
After graduating from high school in Escalante, she went to work as a waitress at Foy’s Café in Panguitch, Utah, where she met her sweetheart James Welker (Jim) Smith, who was hitch hiking from his home in Idaho to his old home town – Henrieville, Utah. They were marred that same year in St. Anthony, Idaho, 17 December, 1945. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple, 10 March, 1950.
Mom and Dad raised their three children while living in Henrieville, and a short time in St. George, Utah. When her kids were mostly raised, mom went back to work to contribute to the family income so they could finish the home they were building with their own hands. Mom was the best Cabin Maid that the Lodge at Bryce Canyon ever had. She was meticulous about cleanliness. When dignitaries visited the park, they were assigned to one of her rooms.
Mom was a kind, thoughtful person; always thinking of others. She always remembered everyone’s birthdays. Her best pies, her biggest cinnamon rolls and the freshest, prettiest loaves of bread went to the widowed and her neighbors.
Mom is known and will be remembered for her dill pickles and the hundreds of doilies she has crocheted that grace homes and temples around the world. No one left her home without asking them if they wanted an ice cream bar. If someone was going shopping and asked her if she needed anything, her reply would be, “a soft ice cream cone”. Mom never met a sweet treat she didn’t like and she never met a weed that she did like. At 84 years of age, her yard was still weed free.
Mom was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings, including the ward Relief Society President. She and Edith Barker were visiting teaching companions for over 50 years and had 100% reporting for all of those years. She loved her family and taught us correct principles in both word and deed. She faced with courage and a strong testimony that “Families Are Forever”, with the passing of Dad, 15 January 2000, and her favorite son, Jim (Coach Smith of the Escalante Moquis), 5 June 2001.
She was a fan of basketball. It didn’t matter who was playing; the Moquis, the Mustangs, or the Jazz; she wanted to be watching. She was always interested in the youth, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – each one being her favorite.
At the age of 85, the decision was made by her family that it was time she share the remainder of her life with them, in Parowan, Utah, with her favorite daughter, Barbara, and in Surprise, Arizona, with her favorite daughter, Dorothy.
The family expresses their sincere appreciation to all the family members who provided a loving and caring environment for her final years, and Rae’s hospice team: Nicole, Faelynn, Bob and Craig, and Dr. Marshall for all their gentle caring.
Rae Smith is survived by: her daughters, Barbara (David) Gray and Dorothy (Don) Burkhardt; daughter-in-law Margo Smith; 10 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren; sister Mona Gene Sorensen; brother Warren (Kathleen) Woolsey; and sister Sharon (Bill deceased) Francisco.
She is preceded in death by: her husband, James Welker (Jim) Smith; her son, James W (Jim) Smith; her parents, Tillman Woolsey and Alcea Heaps; her siblings, Rula (Leavitt) Christensen, Bud (Wanda) Woolsey, Wells (Beth) Woolsey, Dewey (Remola) Woolsey, Elnora (Reed) Williams, Billie Deen (LaDon) Ellett, Phyllis Woolsey, and Milton (Joyce) Woolsey.
Serenity Southern Utah Obituaries
After graduating from high school in Escalante, she went to work as a waitress at Foy’s Café in Panguitch, Utah, where she met her sweetheart James Welker (Jim) Smith, who was hitch hiking from his home in Idaho to his old home town – Henrieville, Utah. They were marred that same year in St. Anthony, Idaho, 17 December, 1945. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple, 10 March, 1950.
Mom and Dad raised their three children while living in Henrieville, and a short time in St. George, Utah. When her kids were mostly raised, mom went back to work to contribute to the family income so they could finish the home they were building with their own hands. Mom was the best Cabin Maid that the Lodge at Bryce Canyon ever had. She was meticulous about cleanliness. When dignitaries visited the park, they were assigned to one of her rooms.
Mom was a kind, thoughtful person; always thinking of others. She always remembered everyone’s birthdays. Her best pies, her biggest cinnamon rolls and the freshest, prettiest loaves of bread went to the widowed and her neighbors.
Mom is known and will be remembered for her dill pickles and the hundreds of doilies she has crocheted that grace homes and temples around the world. No one left her home without asking them if they wanted an ice cream bar. If someone was going shopping and asked her if she needed anything, her reply would be, “a soft ice cream cone”. Mom never met a sweet treat she didn’t like and she never met a weed that she did like. At 84 years of age, her yard was still weed free.
Mom was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings, including the ward Relief Society President. She and Edith Barker were visiting teaching companions for over 50 years and had 100% reporting for all of those years. She loved her family and taught us correct principles in both word and deed. She faced with courage and a strong testimony that “Families Are Forever”, with the passing of Dad, 15 January 2000, and her favorite son, Jim (Coach Smith of the Escalante Moquis), 5 June 2001.
She was a fan of basketball. It didn’t matter who was playing; the Moquis, the Mustangs, or the Jazz; she wanted to be watching. She was always interested in the youth, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – each one being her favorite.
At the age of 85, the decision was made by her family that it was time she share the remainder of her life with them, in Parowan, Utah, with her favorite daughter, Barbara, and in Surprise, Arizona, with her favorite daughter, Dorothy.
The family expresses their sincere appreciation to all the family members who provided a loving and caring environment for her final years, and Rae’s hospice team: Nicole, Faelynn, Bob and Craig, and Dr. Marshall for all their gentle caring.
Rae Smith is survived by: her daughters, Barbara (David) Gray and Dorothy (Don) Burkhardt; daughter-in-law Margo Smith; 10 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren; sister Mona Gene Sorensen; brother Warren (Kathleen) Woolsey; and sister Sharon (Bill deceased) Francisco.
She is preceded in death by: her husband, James Welker (Jim) Smith; her son, James W (Jim) Smith; her parents, Tillman Woolsey and Alcea Heaps; her siblings, Rula (Leavitt) Christensen, Bud (Wanda) Woolsey, Wells (Beth) Woolsey, Dewey (Remola) Woolsey, Elnora (Reed) Williams, Billie Deen (LaDon) Ellett, Phyllis Woolsey, and Milton (Joyce) Woolsey.
Serenity Southern Utah Obituaries
On August 8, 2019, our sweet, beautiful mother passed from this life. Mom was born 30 November, 1925, in Escalante, Utah to Tillman and Alcea Heaps Woolsey. She was the 4th of nine children. Mom was 10 years old when her mother died and consequently she was raised by her maternal grandparents, Thomas and Susannah Alvey Heaps.
After graduating from high school in Escalante, she went to work as a waitress at Foy’s Café in Panguitch, Utah, where she met her sweetheart James Welker (Jim) Smith, who was hitch hiking from his home in Idaho to his old home town – Henrieville, Utah. They were marred that same year in St. Anthony, Idaho, 17 December, 1945. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple, 10 March, 1950.
Mom and Dad raised their three children while living in Henrieville, and a short time in St. George, Utah. When her kids were mostly raised, mom went back to work to contribute to the family income so they could finish the home they were building with their own hands. Mom was the best Cabin Maid that the Lodge at Bryce Canyon ever had. She was meticulous about cleanliness. When dignitaries visited the park, they were assigned to one of her rooms.
Mom was a kind, thoughtful person; always thinking of others. She always remembered everyone’s birthdays. Her best pies, her biggest cinnamon rolls and the freshest, prettiest loaves of bread went to the widowed and her neighbors.
Mom is known and will be remembered for her dill pickles and the hundreds of doilies she has crocheted that grace homes and temples around the world. No one left her home without asking them if they wanted an ice cream bar. If someone was going shopping and asked her if she needed anything, her reply would be, “a soft ice cream cone”. Mom never met a sweet treat she didn’t like and she never met a weed that she did like. At 84 years of age, her yard was still weed free.
Mom was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings, including the ward Relief Society President. She and Edith Barker were visiting teaching companions for over 50 years and had 100% reporting for all of those years. She loved her family and taught us correct principles in both word and deed. She faced with courage and a strong testimony that “Families Are Forever”, with the passing of Dad, 15 January 2000, and her favorite son, Jim (Coach Smith of the Escalante Moquis), 5 June 2001.
She was a fan of basketball. It didn’t matter who was playing; the Moquis, the Mustangs, or the Jazz; she wanted to be watching. She was always interested in the youth, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – each one being her favorite.
At the age of 85, the decision was made by her family that it was time she share the remainder of her life with them, in Parowan, Utah, with her favorite daughter, Barbara, and in Surprise, Arizona, with her favorite daughter, Dorothy.
The family expresses their sincere appreciation to all the family members who provided a loving and caring environment for her final years, and Rae’s hospice team: Nicole, Faelynn, Bob and Craig, and Dr. Marshall for all their gentle caring.
Rae Smith is survived by: her daughters, Barbara (David) Gray and Dorothy (Don) Burkhardt; daughter-in-law Margo Smith; 10 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren; sister Mona Gene Sorensen; brother Warren (Kathleen) Woolsey; and sister Sharon (Bill deceased) Francisco.
She is preceded in death by: her husband, James Welker (Jim) Smith; her son, James W (Jim) Smith; her parents, Tillman Woolsey and Alcea Heaps; her siblings, Rula (Leavitt) Christensen, Bud (Wanda) Woolsey, Wells (Beth) Woolsey, Dewey (Remola) Woolsey, Elnora (Reed) Williams, Billie Deen (LaDon) Ellett, Phyllis Woolsey, and Milton (Joyce) Woolsey.
Serenity Southern Utah Obituaries
After graduating from high school in Escalante, she went to work as a waitress at Foy’s Café in Panguitch, Utah, where she met her sweetheart James Welker (Jim) Smith, who was hitch hiking from his home in Idaho to his old home town – Henrieville, Utah. They were marred that same year in St. Anthony, Idaho, 17 December, 1945. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple, 10 March, 1950.
Mom and Dad raised their three children while living in Henrieville, and a short time in St. George, Utah. When her kids were mostly raised, mom went back to work to contribute to the family income so they could finish the home they were building with their own hands. Mom was the best Cabin Maid that the Lodge at Bryce Canyon ever had. She was meticulous about cleanliness. When dignitaries visited the park, they were assigned to one of her rooms.
Mom was a kind, thoughtful person; always thinking of others. She always remembered everyone’s birthdays. Her best pies, her biggest cinnamon rolls and the freshest, prettiest loaves of bread went to the widowed and her neighbors.
Mom is known and will be remembered for her dill pickles and the hundreds of doilies she has crocheted that grace homes and temples around the world. No one left her home without asking them if they wanted an ice cream bar. If someone was going shopping and asked her if she needed anything, her reply would be, “a soft ice cream cone”. Mom never met a sweet treat she didn’t like and she never met a weed that she did like. At 84 years of age, her yard was still weed free.
Mom was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings, including the ward Relief Society President. She and Edith Barker were visiting teaching companions for over 50 years and had 100% reporting for all of those years. She loved her family and taught us correct principles in both word and deed. She faced with courage and a strong testimony that “Families Are Forever”, with the passing of Dad, 15 January 2000, and her favorite son, Jim (Coach Smith of the Escalante Moquis), 5 June 2001.
She was a fan of basketball. It didn’t matter who was playing; the Moquis, the Mustangs, or the Jazz; she wanted to be watching. She was always interested in the youth, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – each one being her favorite.
At the age of 85, the decision was made by her family that it was time she share the remainder of her life with them, in Parowan, Utah, with her favorite daughter, Barbara, and in Surprise, Arizona, with her favorite daughter, Dorothy.
The family expresses their sincere appreciation to all the family members who provided a loving and caring environment for her final years, and Rae’s hospice team: Nicole, Faelynn, Bob and Craig, and Dr. Marshall for all their gentle caring.
Rae Smith is survived by: her daughters, Barbara (David) Gray and Dorothy (Don) Burkhardt; daughter-in-law Margo Smith; 10 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren; sister Mona Gene Sorensen; brother Warren (Kathleen) Woolsey; and sister Sharon (Bill deceased) Francisco.
She is preceded in death by: her husband, James Welker (Jim) Smith; her son, James W (Jim) Smith; her parents, Tillman Woolsey and Alcea Heaps; her siblings, Rula (Leavitt) Christensen, Bud (Wanda) Woolsey, Wells (Beth) Woolsey, Dewey (Remola) Woolsey, Elnora (Reed) Williams, Billie Deen (LaDon) Ellett, Phyllis Woolsey, and Milton (Joyce) Woolsey.
Serenity Southern Utah Obituaries
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