Don Allen Smith having served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Southern States Mission during 1955 and 1956, came to Hawthorne, Nevada early in 1957 to stay with his sister Amy Smith Clarke and husband John P. Clarke. There he worked with John at the Navy Depot taking care of the grounds. He later moved to Fallon, Nevada to work on a farm belonging to Royal D. Crook, who at the time was the Bishop of the Fallon Ward.

He met Pat Williams who also attended the Fallon Ward. He was inducted into the United States Army March 18, 1958, and began his basic training at Ft. Carson, Colorado. Upon completion of his basic training he was transferred to Fairbanks, Alaska. He was assigned to a motor pool but was asked by his company commander if he would like to pursue another field of work, more specifically, the medical field. Of course he answered in the positive, having scored very high in his testing and high in his company at basic. So he began working with personnel in the pharmacy. Thus began his training in the medical field. Having done so well in the pharmacy his company commander again approached him and asked if he would like to pursue even further and try the Laboratory area. Of course the answer again was in the positive.

He had been corresponding with Pat in Nevada, and had asked for her hand in marriage. Of course the answer was in the positive, and a date was set for sometime in September of 1959, after Pat completed high school. Plans were slightly changed upon the death of Don's mother Caroline, June 15, 1959. I was saddened by the fact I would never be able to meet her. I rode down to Utah with one of Don's brothers, Lee who had taken his place at the farm in Fallon. Don arrived from Alaska on emergency leave and we attended his mothers funeral in Henrieville, Utah. I had been asked to sing for the funeral for which I was grateful to have been asked to do.

Upon returning home to Fallon, we decided to be married soon because Don would not be able to take leave again until next year, so the plans began for our wedding. There was much hurrying and scurrying to get invitations and a temple date secured. We decided to get married in the St. George Temple. We had everything organized and in place and were married June 30, 1959. Don only had a few days before he had to return to his duty station. Truly I felt like a real army bride, only thank goodness he was not going to war....yet. I had to wait 2 weeks before joining him in late July, 1959.

Our first child, a son was born on May 22, 1960 in Fairbanks, Alaska, on a hot day of 90 degrees. We named him Berkeley Scott Smith. Don's Mission President was Berkeley L. Bunker and it was Don's wish that the first name of his first son be Berkeley. Although we always called him Scott.

While in Fairbanks we lived in 3 different houses. In October, 1961 we transferred to San Antonio, Texas where Don would further his education at a laboratory school. I was now 8 months pregnant with our second child. We arrived safe and sound to Texas, and once again found a house to put our little home and family in and set up housekeeping.

Our second child, a son was born November 20, 1961 and we came home from the hospital on Thanksgiving Day. We named him Allen Roe Smith. Allen after his dad's middle name and Roe, after Don's younger brother, Roe. We truly had a lot to be thankful for. While there only a few months and living in 2 different houses, Don received orders to go to Germany. This was an answer to our prayers even though it was a hard move for us. Scott, Allen and I returned to Fallon, Nevada for about 4 months while waiting for quarters to live in at an Army base in Baumholder, Germany. The boys and I flew to Germany on November 20, 1962 to once again be together. After a few months quarters became available at the base in Neubrucke, Germany where Don worked in the hospital. Our stay in Germany was a good experience, even though we missed our homeland and family. We traveled around as much as we could in our little, gray Volkswagen bug. We held many church positions in our small branch but enjoyed immensely our association with other service members and their families. Our testimonies grew and we became stronger in our faith.

Our third child, another son was born December 5, 1964, in Neubrucke, Germany. We named him Gary Raye Smith. We now had only one more thing to acquire before returning to the states and our stay in Germany would be complete, a cuckoo clock, which we did acquire before leaving. We had a child and acquired a Volkswagen and a cuckoo clock while living in Germany and we lived in 2 different homes.

In September, 1965 we were transferred to San Francisco, California where Don was assigned to work in Letterman General Hospital. We had only been there a few months and Don received orders back to San Antonio, Texas to attend an advanced lab school. Our oldest son was in school now, so moving would become more difficult for the children. When Don finished school they wanted him to stay on as an instructor at the school, so they told him to put his roots down because they would forget about him and he would be able to stay here for a long time. We were greatly shocked when Don received orders for Ft. Leonard, Missouri, tried as they may to keep him, Uncle Sam won out and we were once again on our way. We were expecting our fourth child and up to now we each represented a different state or country as our birthplace. We thought we would either have two Texans in our family or we would have to cross the border into another state to keep our tradition. Now we didn't have to do anything so drastic. While in Texas this time we had two different homes.

We arrived in Missouri in March, 1967 safe and sound, and Don began his duties in the hospital in the laboratory. He was great at taking blood I might add, never left a bruise. If he couldn't get it after the second try (which rarely happened) he let someone else try. We were very active in our little branch and enjoyed our friends.

Our fourth child, guess what ? the spell was broken and we got a girl on June 9, 1967. Can you believe that? We named her Melissa Lynne Smith. I believe we passed through a town in Texas (about 60 miles north of Dallas on route 121) named Melissa and we added Lynne to it. Most assuredly we were surprised and happy. We loved our 3 rambunctious boys though.

After having been there nearly a year, Don received orders (December 1967) for Viet Nam. Of course we were very saddened at the thought of being separated again and to have Don go to War. We began our plans to find a place where the children and I could live and be secure in our needs and around some family. We choose to move to a shut-down Air Force Base in Reno, Nevada, which was designated as a place for families of Viet Nam servicemen. We moved in and Don left for Viet Nam on January 20, 1968. Needless to say it was a tearful time for us. While Don was away we continued as best we could and managed to function. Though we were separated by miles, we were together in our thoughts and prayers. We wrote every day and anxiously awaited each day to get our mail. Don served in Saigon during the TET Offensive and when we saw on the news and heard on the radio, what was happening our fears were for Don's safety but yet our hearts were comforted. Wives on the post were receiving word of their husband's death or missing in action. How grateful we were for his safety and well being. He returned home November 15, 1968 after 10 months and 18 days. Needless to say we were very happy to be together again. The Lord had blessed our family greatly.

Don was then assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado. So we packed up and hit the trail once again. We lived in Aurora, Colorado, and we liked it very much. So much we thought we might retire there. We lived off post for awhile until quarters came available. It was nice to live on post. We always felt like a big family with the other service families. Don could walk to work and the children could swim or go to the movies. Three were now in school. We loved our ward and felt very much at home.

At the time that Don served in Viet Nam little did I know that the Lord was preparing me for the time I would have the sole responsibility of our family. On the morning of November 1, 1971 Don went to a doctor to have his ear checked and came home to rest and he laid down. Melissa would not leave him alone so I took her with me to do some visiting teaching and we stopped and got some lunch to take home to eat with Don. We ate lunch with him and I left the room to let him sleep and of course Melissa wanted to stay with him. I was practically and physically moved to the bedroom to find Don was having difficulty. I called the ambulance but before they got him to the hospital he was gone. It was a very trying time for us but I felt the Spirit helping me and I felt it was the will of the Lord. Not long before he had stated he was concerned how he was going to serve in the military, because it was his career, and be a missionary, which he had just been called to be, by Joseph P. Anderson, and take proper care of his family. His desires were fulfilled with his passing. He was buried November 5, 1971 at Fort Logan National Cemetery. His family, children, grandchildren, great grand children, great-great grand children, and future generations do and will live on in fulfillment of those desires. Families are forever and that is what keeps us moving forward and upward.

Our oldest son Berkeley Scott joined his father on March 2, 1990. Scott was pursuing a career in Aviation Mechanics. It was discovered he had cancer in October 1981 and the effects came and went until his passing.

Allen Roe Smith served in the Ecuador Quito Mission (May 1981- April 1983); married Roxanne Mortensen,

August 19, 1983, in the Idaho Falls Temple; they have two daughters, Krystal D'le Smith and Macie Rae Smith and a son Tanner D. Smith.

Gary Raye Smith served in the California Ventura Mission (February 1984 - August 1985); married Laurie Lynne Jones

on March 23, 1988 in the Salt Lake Temple; they have three sons, Don Allen II (named after his grandfather Smith), Ethan R. Smith (after his grandfather Jones), and Garrett Taylor Smith (Taylor being a Jones family name).

Melissa Lynne Smith served in the Washington DC South Mission (1989 - 1990); graduated with an associate degree in Art from Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Montana; moved to Utah and attended cosmetology school and graduated in 1992; presently working as a health insurance claims adjuster.