Stanley Smith

Stanley Wilson Smith
1931-2023

With heavy hearts, our family announces the passing of father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, Stanley Wilson Smith, 91. Born in Payson, Utah on September 15, 1931 to J. Earl Smith and Zelda (Peterson) Smith. Deceased in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 25, 2023, after a brief hospital stay resulting from a fall.
Stan, also known as “Bud”, graduated from Murray High School in 1949. He was an athletic overachiever, given his average size. He excelled at basketball and baseball. His high school coach once remarked after Bud hit a ground out but ran his heart out to 1st base, “if everybody on this team worked as hard as Bud does, we’d all be winners.” Bud and his younger brother Jim could play “give and go” basketball to make their opponent’s heads spin. Stan attended the University of Utah and served in the Utah Air National Guard. He spent 1951-1952 on active duty in the United States Air Force as an Airman Second Class, in Olatha, Kansas. It was there that Stan learned to write backwards on a clear glass board to be read by officers standing on the other side, monitoring air traffic. His penmanship — whether forwards or backwards — was immaculate.
Stan married his high school sweetheart Rosemary Arnn in 1951. They had two children, Lawrence “Lory” Smith (1952) and Colby Arnn Smith (1956). Their marriage ended in divorce in 1963. Stan moved to Los Angeles and remarried Barbara Jensen. That marriage also ended in divorce.
Stan’s life experience was varied and intersected with bits of history. He lived for a time with Earl, his father, a mine manager at the Keatley Mines on the back side of what would become Deer Valley. Earl was also an educator and became a vice principal at the Topaz Japanese American Internment camp, where Stan recalled living in the western desert of Utah and playing basketball with the other kids. He didn’t understand the gravity of the situation, but remembered the friendliness of the Japanese-American kids.
Stan worked in the late 1950's with his father-in-law, Ike Arnn, surveying and making claims on uranium fields in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, often flying at tree-top level in a Cessna Piper Cub with their Geiger counters ticking. He ended up with several cancers that were attributed to his work with uranium.
Stan was a numbers guy. His math skills were quick and accurate and he was a skilled draftsman, which he employed in his work in construction management and supervision. After honing his drafting skills at Torkelson Construction and Utah System Builders in Salt Lake City, he moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s where he worked for a number of construction firms and eventually began his own company in partnership with close business associates he has developed over many years. He spent years on the road supervising and managing construction of K-Marts around the country. After a short period of “retirement,” Stan moved to Las Vegas in the 1990's. There he worked for Eberhard Southwest Roofing, where he expanded their business into waterproofing for major hotel and apartment complexes. He was a great estimator and able to deliver projects on time and often below budget. Working into his 80's, he was affectionately referred to as “Gramps” by his fellow workers.
Stan was an immaculate dresser and known for his healthy head of silver hair. He was a car guy, always sporting and washing a new ride. He was a gregarious, fun-loving and affable guy, fond of laughter, oysters and martinis. He was a world traveler, especially fond of his lunches in Italy and at Lake Como.
Stan was an avid golfer throughout his life. It gave him great pleasure to spend time with friends and family on the links. He played regularly until a month before his death, with his lifelong friend Gunnar Jacobsen. We are certain that Stan has a standing tee time wherever he is now. And a martini waiting at the 19th Hole.
Stan will be interred in a private family ceremony in Midway, Utah on February 4, 2023, next to his beloved youngest brother Louis, who predeceased him, and Louie’s son Coleman. He was also predeceased by an older brother Joe early in his life. Stan is survived by his brother James Smith (Orange, California); his sister Bonnie Coleman (Heber City, Utah); his sons, Lory (Andrea Torrens) Cold Spring, New York, and Colby (Holly Sloan) Telluride, Colorado; grandchildren Ariel Smith, Andrea Smith and Weston Smith; and great grandchildren Kayce, Renny and Magnolia. The family also would like to thank his caregiver, LaGreta in Las Vegas for her love, friendship and devotion.
We will miss his “Cheers!” at happy hour.