Joseph Edwin Smith Jr.

Joseph Edwin Smith Jr. was born December 13, 1937, in Seattle, WA to Joseph E. Smith Sr. and Ida Helene Foxley Smith.  As a young boy he lived in Lake Stevens and Everett, WA.  Joseph graduated from Sultan High School. In high school he enjoyed many sports, performing in plays, and his sophomore year he met his lifelong sweetheart Dorothea Lobdell.  They were married on April 5, 1958, and were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1967.  Joseph and Dorothea welcomed 3 daughters, Tamara, Tawni, Tara and long-awaited son Tyler.  Some of Joseph’s accomplishments include being a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served as a Bishop while living in Everett, WA, a ham radio operator, Brick Mason, Aircraft mechanic and various sales.  Joseph had open heart surgery in January of 1986, where he had a metal valve placed in his heart.  Joseph and Dorothea bought their first home in Everett, WA and later moved to Rigby, Idaho in the fall of 1989. After moving to Rigby, he purchased a cabin in Island Park, Idaho where many family adventures and memories were made.  Joseph loved everything outdoors, fishing, hunting, camping, being involved with the boy scouts, gardening, and emergency preparedness.

Joseph lost his wife July 14, 2022, and his son the next month in August.  Their daughter Tara moved into their home permanently in March of 2022, to help care for her mother.  She continued to live with her dad to care for him and comfort him in the two greatest and loneliest losses of his life.  The past two and a half years he still worked in his garden during the summer and loved watching the Rigby High School and College football games.  He was still able to have some fishing adventures with his friends Eric Albaugh and Brett Olaveson.  A few weeks ago, he had one of the best days ever up at Henry’s Lake where he made so many memories over the years with friends, family and especially with his son Tyler and daughter Tawni.  Joseph was under the care of Carriage Cove when he passed away.  He developed pseudo gout and an infection in his right knee and ankle.  He was trying hard to regain his strength but unfortunately that did not happen.  Joseph is leaving behind his 3 daughters Tamara (Mike) Dayton of Idaho Falls, Tawni Taylor of Boise, Idaho, Tara Smith of Rigby, Idaho, 14 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and a new great-great grandson, his siblings Jay Smith, Andrea Collicot, Rebecca Cook, Christine Allen Ford, Jennifer Johnson and Miles Auckland.  He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Cara Cherie Tomia, his wife Dorothea Dell and Son Tyler Joseph Smith.  His daughter Tara would like to thank everyone who has come to visit and help with so many things while she was by his side the last 4 weeks.  If anyone would like a copy of the stories that his daughter Tawni helped to write about his life story please email gmatara63@gmail.com and I would be happy to send you a copy.  There are just way too many stories to include them in this obituary.  His life story was titled “A Blessed Life”- one of his last conversations with his daughter Tara was that he truly felt blessed in so many ways throughout his life.

Graveside services will be at 9:00 a.m. Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Rigby Pioneer Cemetery under the direction of Eckersell Funeral Home. Condolences can be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.