Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Services

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.  All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~ Helen Keller

KAREN SMITH

Our very own version of Martha Stewart passed away on September 23, 2017. Karen Sue Jones Smith was born on December 22, 1942 to John and Juanita Bullard Jones in Fullerton, California. After the death of her father during a military training mission, Karen and her mother, moved from Oklahoma to California. Karen had many memories growing up in the house on Cintron Street.

She married Curtis Lynn Smith on July 26, 1959 in Midway City, California. They were later sealed in the Manti Temple in 1971. From that marriage, came their four fantastic children, Denise Lynn, Tammi Lea, Curtis John and Robyn G. As a young family they followed Curtis around California while he worked. Finally, they made their way to Utah living in Orem for a short time, moving to Spanish Fork and finally settling in Payson.

Karen worked several jobs and had different callings in the church where she made many friends. She started at Mountain View Hospital in housekeeping in 1978. When she saw the opportunity to advance herself working in the hospital lab, she took it and became a phlebotomist. In the lab, she made lifelong friends. She traveled on many blood drives where she even made it in the Daily Herald. After she mastered that craft, she needed another challenge and accepted a position as a unit secretary on the Med Surge floor at Mountain View Hospital where she finished out her working career.

The accomplishment that Karen was most proud of was her family. Her four marvelous grandchildren are Kristy Lynn, Becky Lee, Richard Brent and Terrel Brent, who she loved to bits. Karen and her grandchildren loved going to the movies, having sleepovers, crafting until fingers hurt from the hot glue gun burns, having glitter stuck in their hair and making the most amazing Christmas decorations. She carried on the movie and crafting traditions with her simply superb  great-grandchildren, Braylon, Sandra, Clara, Annalynn, Afton and Josie. Karen taught her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren a deep love of animals, of all kinds and a deep appreciation of good music.

Karen loved to decorate her house for all the holidays. She is most famous for her museum-worthy Christmas trees. Her wrapped presents were too beautiful to unwrap and her bows were crafted, stunning works of art.

There were three things that everyone learned from Karen: you are never mean to animals, you never said anything bad about her grandkids because they were perfect all of the time and you never started a conversation about politics if you wanted to go home. 

Karen is survived by her brother, David Farrar, Oklahoma, her sister-in laws Michelene (Allen) Strong, Kaysville, Barbara (the late Steven) Smith, Washington, brother-in-law Rex (Laura) Smith, Washington, her children, Denise Butler, Payson, and John (Heeyoung) Smith, South Korea, son-in-law Brent Jasperson, Goshen, along her grandchildren Kristy (Dan) McNally, Beamsville, ON, Becky (Jason) Jones, Eureka, Richard (Letitia) Butler, Spanish Fork, Terrel Jasperson, Goshen and six great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her mom and dad, in-laws Verl and June Smith, husband, Curtis, her daughters Tammi and Robyn, brother-in-law Stan Smith and son-in-law Brent Butler.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah. Visitation for family and friends will be at the funeral home on Thursday, September 28, 2017 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and an a half hour prior to services. Interment will be at the Payson Cemetery. Karen’s family would like to thank all the staff members at Parkway and Brighton Hospice for their deep love and care they provided to her. Be on time, because Karen was never late for anything!