Rev. Don Ian Smith

Funeral services for Reverend Don Ian Smith will be held Friday, May 4, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Salmon United Methodist Church of Salmon, Idaho. A visitation will be held Thursday, May 3, 2007 from 5 until 8 p.m. at the Salmon United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Salmon Cemetery. A dinner will follow the services in the fellowship hall at the church. Don Ian Smith was born Oct. 16, 1918, in Salt Lake County, Utah. He was the fourth of six children born to Arthur T. and Elizabeth Symon Smith. He grew up on a farm near Rupert, Idaho and graduated in 1936 from Rupert High School. In 1940, he graduated from Willamette University in Salem, Ore. with a major in sociology. In 1944, he earned his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. During his student years at Garrett, he was appointed to serve the Winthrop Harbor Methodist Church, in Winthrop Harbor, Ill. While serving the Winthrop Harbor church, he oversaw a building campaign there to build a new parsonage. On April 26, 1941, he married Elizabeth (Betty) Moser of Tenino, Wash. They met while attending Willamette University and were married in Seattle. They made their home in Winthrop Harbor until his graduation from seminary in 1944, at which time they accepted an appointment to the Salmon Federated Church in Salmon, Idaho. In 1947, he was appointed to the Methodist Church in Burley, Idaho, where he served for two years before returning to Salmon where he served while the church built a parsonage and then undertook the construction of the current Salmon United Methodist Church, which was completed in 1952. He served the Salmon church until 1964, during which time he called on people in every nook and cranny of Lemhi County and started circles and vacation Bible schools in places such as Cobalt and Leadore, as well as closer to Salmon. One circle up the Lemhi River eventually organized to become the Lemhi United Methodist Church. While serving the Salmon Methodist Church, Don purchased a ranch on Withington Creek, which he operated with his family. The ranch was one of his greatest loves, as well as providing inspiration for his preaching and writing. Don and his family moved to Laurel, Mont. in 1964, where he served the Laurel Methodist Church for two years. He then took a two-year sabbatical, returning to Salmon to ranch, teach at Salmon High School, and sell real estate. In 1968, he accepted another church appointment, at the United Methodist Church in Choteau, Montana. The following year, he accepted an appointment to Hillview United Methodist Church in Boise, Idaho, where he served until his retirement from full-time ministry in 1983. While he served at Hillview, the church built its sanctuary and its educational wing. During his retirement, Don also served churches at Jordan Valley, Ore., Filer, Idaho, and Gilchrist, Ore. Don served terms as president of the Rotary Club in Salmon and in Boise, and was active in sportsman's clubs and cattle associations. Throughout his ministry and on into his retirement, he has been a freelance writer, writing numerous magazine articles and several books, including: BY THE RIVER OF NO RETURN, 1967; WILD RIVERS AND MOUNTAIN TRAILS, 1972; SAGEBRUSH SEED, 1982; THE OPEN GATE, 1989; SYMONS DAUGHTER, 2001; and MURDER ON THE MIDDLEFORK, 2005. A book of his scripturally-based short stories will be published posthumously. Dons favorite recreations have involved horses and back country. He enjoyed big game hunting, fishing, endurance riding and exploring Idaho´s ghost towns and less traveled roads. Don passed away at his home in Salmon on April 26, 2007, on his 66th wedding anniversary, with his wife Betty at his side. In addition to Betty, he is survived by three children: Heather Smith Thomas (Lynn) of Salmon; Rockwell (Bev) Smith of Boise; Heidi Smith (Paul Pedersen) of Tendoy; one brother, Robert Bob (Erleen Lee) of Pulaski, Tenn.; and one sister-in-law, Alice (David) Smith of Milwaukee, Ore. Two brothers, Arthur L. Smith and David S. Smith, and two sisters, Grace Szigethy and Connie Anderson, preceded him in death. He is also survived by six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family suggests that memorials in his memory be sent to either the Salmon United Methodist Church or the Lemhi United Methodist Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Jones & Casey Funeral Home of Salmon, Idaho.