Art Smith

Monday, March 22, 2010
Art Smith

On March 17, 2010, Arthur "Art" Smith passed away at a local hospital.

He was born on Oct. 19, 1925, in Twin Falls, Idaho. Arthur was the youngest of three children and the only son of Arthur Douglas and Lillian (Hunter) Smith.

As a young man, he delivered papers in Twin Falls, was active in Boy Scouts and always busy helping his family and neighbors. He got great enjoyment fishing and hunting with his father during this time.

At the age of 17, Arthur enlisted in the US Navy in 1942 and attended Navy Recruit Training at Farragut Naval Training Base at Bayview, Idaho. After completing his initial training, Art was assigned to VFA-14 as a radioman/gunner flying the SPD-1 Dauntless and assigned to Mayport, Fla.

Art spent the war patrolling the eastern coast, conducting antisubmarine patrols and deployed aboard several aircraft carriers during that time.

He completed his enlistment in 1947 and returned to his beloved state of Idaho and married the love of his youth, Lula M. Spencer, on July 11, 1948, in Twin Falls.

He then extended his education in the field of his choice by attending the School of Mortuary Science in Los Angeles, Calif., where he received a scholarship to the school of Mortuary Management at North Western University in Chicago, Ill. Art and Lula then purchased Bay Mortuary and moved to Mountain Home March 15, 1955.

Shortly after coming to Mountain Home, he was elected Elmore County Coroner, a position he held until 1972. He also operated the only ambulance in Elmore County during this time and during that period his services where offered 24/7. Being a one-man operation he depended on many fellows who where always willing to help him at any time, for which he was eternally grateful.

After selling the mortuary business in 1972, he went to work for Mountain Home Agency as a construction worker and he was later appointed by the City of Mountain Home as the building and fire inspector and was later the superintendent of public works. He retired from those positions in 1988.

An active sportsman and avid hunter, Art made tremendous contributions to the Idaho Hunter Education Program and was awarded The Idaho State Hunters Educator of the Year Award in 2006.

A tireless community leader, educator and volunteer, Art continually provided assistance to numerous organizations throughout Idaho including The Red Cross, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Trout Unlimited.

A devoted family man, Art is survived by his loving wife, Lula, of over 60 years, daughter Susan Dole and husband Hank of Hammett and Glorie Johnson and husband Roger of Port Orchard, Wash., four grandsons and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.

Viewing was held on Monday, March 22, from 4-6 p.m. at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Services were set for 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday March 23, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home. Graveside services were set to follow at Mountain View Cemetery, with military honors by the American Legion Post # 26.

Memorials may be made in Art's memory to The Idaho Hunter Education Fund in care of Rost Funeral Home, 500 N. 18th East St., Mountain Home ID 83647.