Louise McMaster

Louise McMaster 1924 ~ 2011 Louise McMaster, 87, slipped silently away in her sleep in the early hours of May 9, 2011, after gracing her family with one final Mother's Day. She was born March 8, 1924, in Salt Lake City to Leonard Aaron and Ella Mae Smethurst. She was raised in a large and loving family with her sister and six brothers in Salt Lake City until her graduation from high school in 1942. Like many of her generation, she felt compelled to do her part in the war effort and became employed at a nearby munitions factory. She then decided to enlist in the Women's Army Corps and was soon on her way to "boot camp" in Iowa. Upon completion of her training she was assigned to duty in Georgia as a dental hygienist. As fate would have it, she met a young pilot and love of her life, William "Bill" McMaster, who was stationed nearby at a base in Alabama. After a "long" courtship of three dates in two weeks, the couple traveled to Bill's home in Chardon, Ohio, where they were married on Christmas Eve, 1945; a union that lasted for sixty-five years. The war ended, and Louise and Bill returned to Chardon where he worked for the Post Office. They decided to return to military life and Louise supported Bill's career as an Air Force pilot, raising their four children in Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Idaho and Oklahoma. She kept up the home front serving as den mother and dance troupe seamstress, while Bill deployed anywhere from thirty days to a year as he served during WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. Louise's one main regret was that she was never able to travel overseas with him, but Bill's posts were never in family-friendly locales. After Bill's retirement, drawn by the mountains they loved, they settled in the Boise/Meridian area and built their dream get away on Cascade Lake where they were able to pursue their hobbies in earnest. While Bill fished or golfed, Louise continued her love of art. Louise was a talented artist whose interests spanned painting, ceramics, needlework, sewing and an unending supply of lawn art populating the grounds of their homes. Louise loved gardening, especially the beauty of peonies, yellow roses, hydrangeas and the taste of that first fresh tomato. She would pass her day happily feeding the squirrels and chipmunks or watching hummingbirds hovering at her numerous feeders. As the winters grew longer in Donnelly, they decided to become "snowbirds" to Arizona for several years, where her art projects took on a Southwestern flair. Louise will always be remembered as a woman who was quick to share a laugh and make friendships which spanned a lifetime; from feeling loved and accepted by her in-laws who truly became family, to the numerous friends who called her "Lou" "Weeze" or "Smitty". She relished those friendships and would like nothing better than to sit around the kitchen table one more time telling tales, laughing at one more joke, and waiting for one more fantastic meal to serve to friends and family. Louise is survived by sons, Larry (Sandie) of Goodyear, AZ; and Marc (Ann) of Boise; daughter, Heidi Barker (Rich Williams) or Meridian; grandchildren, Jennifer, Jessica, Michael, and Kelly; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Louise was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William "Bill"; son, Cpl. Michael (USMC); granddaughter, Michelle Barker; sister, Mary Jensen; and brothers, Allen, Bryon, Leonard, Floyd, Elmer "Tug", and twin brother, Lawrence. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, May 19, 2011, at Cloverdale Funeral Home, 1200 N. Cloverdale Rd, Boise. The family appreciates dear friends Max, Elaine, Bev, and Jess for their constant friendship and support. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the wonderful staff and family of Good Samaritan for their kind and compassionate care of Louise during her final days. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Idaho Humane Society, 4775 Dorman St, Boise, ID, 83705. To share memories with the family, please visit Louise's memorial webpage online at www.CloverdaleFuneralHome.com.