Karen Smart

Karen Curtis Smart Obituary In loving memory of Karen Curtis Smart-wife, mother, grandmother, friend. Karen died from an aggressive cancer on October 30, 2025, at age 69. She was born July 15, 1956, in Superior, Montana, daughter of Donald Eugene and Audrey Jean Bowman Curtis.
Karen is a disciple of Christ and was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in various church assignments, but she dedicated most of her efforts to being a friend and helping individuals. She was keenly aware of those who were burdened or less fortunate. Full of love, empathy, and a listening ear, she quietly went about lifting others, giving hope and healing. Karen had the ability to know and understand the challenges others faced and helped lighten those difficulties through heavenly hugs, validating words, and spirit-inspired counsel. Some called her wise, but she would respond that the wisdom was the Lord's.
Karen had a zest for living. A close friend recently described her as ebullient: energetic, cheerful, positive, happy, enthusiastic. She delighted in little things, from a simple picture drawn by a grandchild to forsythia and lilacs blooming in the spring. With exuberance, she would warmly greet a friend she saw weekly at church with the same enthusiasm as someone she had not seen for some time.
For Karen, family was everything-a source of joy in her life. She was devoted to her husband, children, and grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, Karl Lyman Smart, Midland; and four children: Audrey (Seth Evans) Tanner, Midland; Morgan Karl Smart (Cindy Hurst), Midvale, Utah; Philip Don (Katie) Smart, Midland; Emma Jayne Smart (Christian Dubose), Salt Lake City, Utah; and 10 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother, Jean, and sister, Andrea.
A memorial service will be held in Midland, Michigan, on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1700 W Sugnet Road, Midland, Michigan. Time for visitation with family and friends will follow, with light refreshments.
Another service will be held in Logan, Utah, prior to interment. The Utah service will be on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (125 W 600 North, Logan, Utah, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm, followed by visitation with light refreshments for family and friends until interment at the Logan City Cemetery (1000 N 1200 East Logan, Utah) at 3:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in honor of Karen Smart to the Toni and Trish House (https://toniandtrishhouse.org/), whose staff provided loving and dignified hospice care in Karen's end-of-life journey.