Marvin Eugene Smith

Born – May 3, 1909 Died – December 2, 2002

Snowflake, AZ

My father was 32 when he married my mother, Irene Stewart Smith when she was 30 years old. They were lined up (or became acquainted as Dad was a student at BYU, along with his brothers Oliver and Don and his father, Hyrum Smith. My mother’s younger sister, Mayda, was also at BYU at the time and arranged a date for my mother, Irene, to meet Marvin. They were married on my mother’s birthday, October 31, which is Halloween. This anniversary date made it impossible for mother or dad to ever celebrate together as the numerous children who came trick or treating for Halloween candy each year on their anniversary date. My father was 32 and my mother age 30 when they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

World War II was in full swing and my father was drafted into the army. He had allergies and so my mother sent him chocolates so he would sneeze and have hayfever etc. etc. Because of the severity of the affliction (acerbated my the chocolates my mother sent him) he was released after a year and one-half.

He then become a Rehabilitation Counselor for the Blind and helped blind people qualify for education, schooling, jobs, medical interventions etc. I remember one year when I was age 12, he had me work at the Souvenir Counter in the State Capitol which was operated by the blind. I learned how to work and don’t recall thinking it was difficult for the blind man that worked at the kiosk counter of souvenirs, as he seemed very capable of helping people and making change etc. That was my first job and I am grateful to my father for helping learn how to be responsible and helpful and kind. Dad would talk to me kindly, giving gentle suggestions and ideas on how I could serve and help others.

I remember my father suggesting I attend BYU, as it was his alma mater, even though most of my friends and acquaintances from Highland High School, were attending the University of Utah. He would come to Provo to follow up and meet with the blind professor that taught there and other of his blind clients to help them and would ask for my class schedule so he would know where to find me to say hello and visit for a few minutes while he was in Provo. It always meant a lot to me that my kind and caring father would take time to see me and see how I was doing.

I also remember, when I was about age 12, he would encourage me to enter a ward speech contest and then he would have wonderful suggestions and ideas so that I would feel capable and encouraged.

I knew my father loved the Lord as he would always call us to kneeling family prayer in a circle each morning before he left for work. He would also give me a blessing if I was sick. I remember the special spiritual feeling I would feel as he blessed me in the name of Jesus Christ.

He would also call us to gather in the living room for family home evening and he would often read or tell us about one of our ancestors. They would be about our Grandfather, Hyrum Smith, who lived with us as our grandmother, June Augusta Bushman Smith died about 40 years before Grandpa did. Grandpa Hyrum Smith was a Patriarch and made a Patriarch from age 28. He was named Hyrum Smith after Joseph Smith’s brother, Hyrum, by his father, Jesse Nathaniel Smith, as he looked like his forebearer. Truly, he did, at least, from his pictures and the pictures of Hyrum Smith. He was tall and slim and had a dignity and spirituality about him all the time. I had great love and respect for him and so did my father and mother. Grandpa Hyrum Smith gave me my Patriarchal Blessing on July 30, 1960 as I really wanted to know where Heavenly Father wanted me to attend college…Brigham Young University where I was leaning, as it was my Dad’s alma mater, (even though my mother attended the University of Utah for two years before going with her brother, Golden, on the road (as he had a car) to sell women’s hosiery.

Dad would help me write speeches, would assist with my homework, especially math…which was a challenge for me. He often worked in the Wilford Stake with the Stake Presidency.