Donna Smeath Petersen

1932 ~ 2012
Donna Jean Smeath Petersen was born Nov 7, 1932 to John Henry Smeath and Alice Delores Anderson Smeath in Ottawa, Kansas. Donna died peacefully on March 9, 2012 after a short episode of cancer.
She attended school in Provo and graduated as Valedictorian from Provo High School in 1951. As a youth, Donna worked as a cashier in her father's store, Smeath's Market, near BYU campus. She attended Brigham Young University where she danced as a Cougarette and majored in Elementary Education and English.
While at BYU she met Morris Smith Petersen of Sandy, UT. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 7, 1954 and enjoyed 58 years together. The family lived in Texas, Oklahoma, Vermont, Iowa, Maryland, Washington DC, and finally returned to Springville and Provo, Utah where they raised their six children: Sid, Mark, Karen (Mehra), Erik, Kristina (Van Katwyk), and Steven. Donna and Morris taught English for one year in China and later served two missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as facilitators of the China Teachers Program.
She had a great love of family history and was a proud member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Besides her family and friends, her great love was of birds, nature and music. She traveled widely and found joy in birding expeditions. Donna and Morris have 21 grandchildren who they love dearly. We express our appreciation for the support given by friends, family, and the staffs of IHC Hospice and Sloan-Kettering, NY.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at the Provo Peak 2nd Ward Chapel, 965 North Locust Lane, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Tuesday evening from 6 until 8 and at the church Wednesday from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Condolences to the family may be emailed to info@bergmortuary.com