Laura Smith Waite

 

Laura Smith Waite was born on October 23, 1984 in Los Angeles, California and passed away on November 18, 2023 in Layton, Utah at the age of 39 following a courageous five-year battle with breast cancer.

 

Laura grew up in Altadena, California and attended La Cañada High School, graduating in 2002. During her adolescent years Laura was involved in many extracurricular activities including piano lessons, marching band, jazz band, and hanging out with her friends. Through these activities, Laura built lifelong friendships that she held close for many years.

 

After high school Laura attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah to study Psychology and received a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2008. During this time, Laura met James Waite, and in June 2009 they were married in the Los Angeles Temple.

 

After graduating from college, Laura moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh where she studied social work. Her emphasis was on helping people impacted by anxiety disorders - specifically, obsessive compulsive disorder. In April 2013, Laura graduated with her Master’s degree in Social Work. She was a member of the National Association of Social Workers and had an amazing passion for her work. The years in Pittsburgh were formative for Laura as she built some of her closest relationships with people from her church congregation, and also with colleagues in the field. She also enjoyed the various local sport teams and traveling around the East Coast. After many years in Pittsburgh, Laura eventually moved back to Pasadena, CA in April 2018 and later moved to Layton, Utah in March 2020.

 

Laura and James were blessed with three boys – Lincoln (April 2014), Benjamin (January 2017), and Ethan (November 2018). Although Laura’s marriage to James ended, they lived near each other in Utah and were committed to raising their boys with love and support. During her years of illness, it was clear that Laura’s commitment to treatment stemmed from her desire to be with her children, and she would tell everyone around her that she was fighting for more time with them. Although Laura only had a few precious years with her boys, the love that she poured into Lincoln, Ben, and Ethan was endless and will last them a lifetime.

 

Laura Smith Waite is survived by her three sons Lincoln, Benjamin and Ethan, her parents Janet and Steve Smith, her brother Michael Smith, and her sister Shannon Smith Hyer, and many nieces and nephews.

 

Funeral services will be held Saturday December 2, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sun Trails Ward, 2160 W. Gordon Ave., Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit with family Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service at the church.

 

Interment, Logan City Cemetery.

 

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Laura’s obituary page at www.lindquistmortuary.com

 

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.

 

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