Mavis Ada Smith

Mavis Ada Hadley Smith, 98 of Idaho Falls, Idaho, formerly of Dubois, passed away Friday, July 12, 2019 at Lincoln Court Retirement Center in Idaho Falls

Mavis was born February 23, 1921 in Rigby, Idaho to George W Hadley and Grace May Bush Hadley Chandler. She grew up in Rigby, attending elementary school there and graduated from Rigby High School in 1939.  She was very social and had a lot of good friends who she kept in touch with throughout her life.  She was a longtime member of the Canasta Club and is one of the few remaining.  She loved living on the farm and loved her horse “Old Doll”; from the time she was 3 years old, she could be found riding him to her grandma’s by herself across the then “busy” Ririe Highway.

She met Wayne Morgan Smith at her 8 ^th grade graduation.  He was the water boy for the party afterwards and they danced with each other.  From that point, they were an on again, off again relationship until Wayne enlisted in the National Guard in 1940.  The night before he left, she asked if she could go with him, so they were married the next day, September 21, 1940, at Wayne’s parents’ home. Wayne was sent to Fort Lewis in Olympia, Washington, making $42 per month. When WWII broke out, he was sent to New Guinea in the Pacific Theater.  At that time, Mavis returned to Idaho and worked as a telephone operator and payroll clerk for the Pocatello Airbase.  In 1945, Wayne was discharged from the Army, he called from San Francisco and said “Hi honey”, she said, “Who is this”?

Mavis and Wayne spent 10 years without children, then in 1950 they adopted Vicki Lee; Judy Kay, Bruce Wayne, Lauri and JoLene followed every 2 to 3 years thereafter. They lived in Rigby until 1960 when Wayne had an opportunity to purchase an insurance agency; they move the family to Dubois, Idaho where they raised their children.

Mavis was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in several capacities; Primary Teacher, Mutual Leader and Visiting Teacher. She enjoyed her family and traveling.  She and Wayne had a motor home for many hears and loved to camp with family and travel to different parts of The United States.  They spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona from 1982 to 2003.  They went to Hawaii several times and to Nashville, Bahamas, and Jamaica.  One of their favorite trips was to Hong Kong China.

She is survived by her children, Judy Kay (Barry) Hoopes of Pocatello, Bruce Wayne (Grace) Smith of Mud Lake, Lauri (Terry) Leonardson and JoLene (Frank) Eckersell of Idaho Falls, sisters, Donna Dolph of Idaho Falls, and many nieces and nephews as well as 21 grandchildren and 62 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her oldest daughter Vicki Lee (Tom) Gauchay who adored her, brothers, Orval and Keith Hadley and sister Jacque Lee.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at the Ammon 14 ^th Ward Chapel, 4363 E. 17 ^th Street, Ammon.  The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m., to 12:45 p.m. prior to services at the church.  Interment will be in the Dubois Cemetery.  Services are under the care of Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby.  Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com