Welcome to the memorial page for
Ruth Benson Smith
September 19, 1922 ~ August 9, 2017 (age 94) 94 Years OldShare Tribute:
Ruth Benson Smith, 94, passed away August 9, 2017 at a care facility in Meridian, Idaho. She was a great and loving example to all who knew her. She was witty, fun-loving, grateful, accepting, kind and patient.
The youngest of four children, Ruth was born September 19, 1922 in Boise, Idaho to Mathias J. Benson and Margaret (Belnap) Benson. When Ruth was just 2 months old, her mother unexpectedly passed away.
Ruth spent her childhood in Moreland, Idaho, raised by Chris and Laura Christiansen. These were happy years with her Moreland Mother and Father. When Ruth was 13 years old, Chris and Laura both died, and Ruth returned to Boise to live with Mathias, her “Boise Daddy.”
She graduated from Franklin High School in 1940 and attended Brigham Young University.
On December 4, 1942 she married her sweetheart, James Wesley Smith, in Mesa, Arizona. Jim’s career was in the Air Force, and she traveled and moved often with him. During those years, Ruth and Jim raised six sons and one daughter. She was a loving mother, and bore the brunt of the child rearing responsibilities.
She was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions. Together, Jim and Ruth worked as full-time missionaries in the St. Louis, Missouri Mission. They both served 11 years in the Boise Idaho temple.
Ruth enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, stitchery and many other crafts. She was an avid reader, preserved thousands of bottles of garden produce, completed much family history, and solved many cross-word puzzles.
She is preceded in death by her four parents, her husband, her siblings: Marvin Benson, Leone Baldwin, Thelma McQueen, and a granddaughter, Rachelle Smith. She is survived by her children, James Raymond (Gaylene), Kenneth Dee (Colleen), William Kay (Del Lou), Terry Allen (Rebecca), Glenn Stuart (Colleen), Paul Brent (Shauna), and Colleen (Dell Hanks); 38 grandchildren and 80 great grandchildren.
A funeral is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Saturday, August 19, 2017 in the Meridian Idaho East Stake Center located at 11443 McMillan Rd in Boise, Idaho. A viewing will precede the funeral in the same location and date from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Services under the direction of Relyea Funeral Chapel.
The youngest of four children, Ruth was born September 19, 1922 in Boise, Idaho to Mathias J. Benson and Margaret (Belnap) Benson. When Ruth was just 2 months old, her mother unexpectedly passed away.
Ruth spent her childhood in Moreland, Idaho, raised by Chris and Laura Christiansen. These were happy years with her Moreland Mother and Father. When Ruth was 13 years old, Chris and Laura both died, and Ruth returned to Boise to live with Mathias, her “Boise Daddy.”
She graduated from Franklin High School in 1940 and attended Brigham Young University.
On December 4, 1942 she married her sweetheart, James Wesley Smith, in Mesa, Arizona. Jim’s career was in the Air Force, and she traveled and moved often with him. During those years, Ruth and Jim raised six sons and one daughter. She was a loving mother, and bore the brunt of the child rearing responsibilities.
She was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions. Together, Jim and Ruth worked as full-time missionaries in the St. Louis, Missouri Mission. They both served 11 years in the Boise Idaho temple.
Ruth enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, stitchery and many other crafts. She was an avid reader, preserved thousands of bottles of garden produce, completed much family history, and solved many cross-word puzzles.
She is preceded in death by her four parents, her husband, her siblings: Marvin Benson, Leone Baldwin, Thelma McQueen, and a granddaughter, Rachelle Smith. She is survived by her children, James Raymond (Gaylene), Kenneth Dee (Colleen), William Kay (Del Lou), Terry Allen (Rebecca), Glenn Stuart (Colleen), Paul Brent (Shauna), and Colleen (Dell Hanks); 38 grandchildren and 80 great grandchildren.
A funeral is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Saturday, August 19, 2017 in the Meridian Idaho East Stake Center located at 11443 McMillan Rd in Boise, Idaho. A viewing will precede the funeral in the same location and date from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Services under the direction of Relyea Funeral Chapel.
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