Alice B Smith

It was the best of times and the most difficult of moments, yet now that it is over and the reunion has begun between two soulmates whose love soared over 72 years on earth, all is well and the grandest of gatherings has begun.

Three and one-half years since her husband’s death, Alice Belle Buckmiller Smith has anxiously been awaiting his return for her. Yet the mother in her could not possibly leave without final good-byes to all of her sons. Once all had been accounted for, Alice slipped quietly through the veil into the arms of her sweetheart on the morning of Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at her home. Being the last survivor of both the Buckmiller and Smith siblings we know the celebration was enormous as Alice was endeared by many. Yet they would all first give way to her one true love, Paul, then son Steven, granddaughter Tara, great-granddaughter Caroline, parents, siblings and then the rest would hover in.

Alice Belle Buckmiller was the third child and second birth of E. Stephen Buckmiller and Emma Angel Tolman. She was born on August 26, 1923 in Deweyville, Utah. She joined twin siblings Naman and Naomi, and later Donald and Richard completed the family tree.

At the age of three her family moved to Salt Lake City where her father continued in the grocery profession started by his father. Her father’s grocery store, as well as their home were located in the lower avenues. She attended Lowell School which was directly across the street from the store. The responsibility of the Buckmiller offspring was to wait on the penny customers so they could learn how to give change correctly. From there Alice attended Bryant Junior High and then graduated from East High School. Evidently, she had the option of taking another year of high school. However, in her own words Alice stated, “I was going to take an extra year of high school, even though it was not required, and decided I didn’t like it. I quit! My father thought girls did not need college….besides all the boys were gone from high school and fun was the name of the game.”

Alice was a beautiful woman on the inside as well as her outer self. She was endowed with beautiful olive skin and gorgeous brown eyes. Even at 97, Alice could still turn heads. She particularly enjoyed the expression on people’s faces when she gave her age as she always looked far younger than her years.

She was definitely a boy’s mother, which was good since she and Paul had five sons. They didn’t qualify for manhood until they could beat her in arm wrestling. She was also the one who took them fishing and put worms on their hooks. Always wishing for a girl, when the last two were identical twin boys, she could only hope for great daughters-in-law. Fortunately, the majority of her church callings were in the Young Women Organization.

Alice met Paul Smith around her senior year of high school. They dated almost steadily for a year before WWII called him to serve. She and her sister Naomi made their first excursion east of the Rocky Mountains when traveling to New York by chair car (her words) to visit Paul before he left for overseas duty, which lasted three years. While Alice corresponded with him, she was kept busy with the young men left behind. However, when Paul returned on furlough in 1945, he proposed, along with an ultimatum that if she wasn’t going to marry him, he would spend his days differently. Fortunately for both, she ultimately said yes, and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on October 18th of that year. They were just short of their 72nd anniversary when he passed away on October 10, 2017.

Their life was filled with travels via car, trains, planes, ships, and motorcycles. They especially enjoyed the latter mode. They toured 49 states, Canada from coast to coast, and deep into Mexico on Honda Gold Wing motorcycles. They were members of a group called TRAs — Temple Riders Association. They would often cause quite a stir when they first pulled up to a temple for a session on their motorcycles. Alice would take along a wig to pop on for she was far too proper for “helmet hair”.

She and Paul also enjoyed golfing together.

Alice had many jobs during her lifetime. Her first employment was at J. C. Penney in the hosiery department after high school. When the war started, she and her sister took jobs at Remington Arms Plant inspecting 30 caliber cartridges. She thought this boring, so she asked for a new assignment and became a timekeeper, and then eventually a file clerk. As the war wore down, she took employment with the Federal Reserve Bank where she had to balance checks from every small town in Utah. Sitting on stools for many hours enticed her to apply at ZCMI where she worked in cosmetics and later at Auerbachs Department Store. During Paul’s four years at Podiatry School in Chicago, Alice had several types of employment, including Morrow’s Nut Shop and Kraft Foods. She modeled hats as well. After the twins were old enough, she went back to Auerbachs during Christmas making great commissions in the cosmetic area. Then when they were in high school, she began her 20-year career as Paul’s assistant at his Podiatry office until he retired.

Alice was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Along with ward callings, she and Paul served in the Jordan River Temple and as Church Service Missionaries. She is survived by sons: Randall (Diane), Terry (Stephanie), Byron (Connie), Kim (Steven, deceased) and Stanton (Emily), From these offspring, their posterity is holding at 18 living grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren.

Good-bye sweet mother, grandmother, grandma-great! While your absence will be felt for years to come, we take solace that you and Dad have been reunited, never to be separated again.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at the Cottonwood 11th Ward, 1830 East 6400 South, Murray, Utah. Visitation 10:00 - 11:45 with funeral commencing at 12:00 noon. Service will also be streamed live at www.facebook.com/wasatchlawnmemorial.