Iris Adaire Smith

On Sunday, December 20, 2020, Iris Adaire Jones Smith of Firth, Idaho, passed away peacefully in the company of her family at the age of 92.

Iris was born May 28, 1928, to Alvin and Leah (Holt) Jones. She grew up in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, where her father owned and operated a bakery. She began working in the bakery at the early age of 12 years old, and later got a job as a relief telephone operator at age 16. After graduating from high school in June 1946, Iris completed a home economics course at the Agricultural School in Olds (north of Calgary).

On December 8, 1949, Iris married Reid Warren Smith and lived for a time in Draper, Utah, where their first ten children were born – including two sets of twins! In 1966, they moved to Nounan, Idaho, where they owned a dairy farm and taught their children from a young age to work both inside and outside the home. Their eleventh child was born in Montpelier, Idaho, and in 1976, the “Smith Tribe,” as they came to be known, settled in Firth, Idaho.

In addition to her role as full-time mother, Iris enjoyed making bread and sewing. She could sew anything from receiving blankets and nightgowns to shirts, pants, and dresses. She remained a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all her life, serving in various positions and working in the Idaho Falls temple as often as three times a week.

Iris was preceded in death by her husband Reid Smith, her parents Alvin and Leah Jones, and her brothers Blayne and Dale Jones. She is survived by her sister Natalie Ninow; her brother Richard Jones; her 11 children and their spouses: Brian (Clari) Smith of Anchorage, Alaska; Nancy (Terry) Hopkins of Battle Mountain, Nevada; Kent (Joan) Smith of Anchor Point, Alaska; Drew (Holly) Smith of Firth, Idaho; Paula (Gary) Lund of Anchorage, Alaska; Denise (Paul) Welch of Farmington, Utah; Denae Smith of Phoenix, Arizona; Bruce (Allison) Smith of Anchorage, Alaska; Colette (Jeff) Hansen of Springville, Utah; Cory (CoLene) Smith of Palmer, Alaska; and Rachelle (Kelly) Christensen of Afton, Wyoming; as well as 53 grandchildren, 129 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M. Saturday, January 2, 2021 at the Kimball LDS Ward, 744 N 600 E in Firth, Idaho, with Bishop Darren Leavitt conducting. The funeral service will be streamed live using the following URL:
http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/firthidahostake

Friends are welcome to meet with family January 2, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at Nalder Funeral Home, 110 W Oak Street in Shelley.

Iris will be interred in the Firth Idaho Cemetery with her husband Reid. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Nalder Funeral home in Shelley.