Luann Smith

(Luann Simpson)

Luann Applonie Smith was born on November 17, 1958 and was raised in Washington Terrace, Utah by her parents LeRoy and Beverly Applonie. On November 24, 2023 Luann Smith passed away at her home with loved ones by her side after fighting a long, well fought battle against cancer. 

Luann grew up in a loving family with five children. Three brothers, one sister, and she was the youngest. She graduated from Bonneville high school. After attending some college, she fell in love and got married to pursue her biggest accomplishment in life, becoming a mother. Luann always wanted to be a mother. It was her childhood dream. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, her answer was a mommy. Luann was an outstanding mother. She had four children of her own, Emmilee, Melissa, Mitchell and Shawn. But she didn’t stop at just her own four children. After going through a divorce, Luann decided to become a foster parent so she could help other mothers who were struggling and provide a solid mother figure to children in foster care who were not with their own mothers. It was through foster care that she gained her fifth child, JayDee. Foster care brought a lot of joy to Luann’s life. She made numerous friends and impacted more kids lives than we can count. She was proud to be a mom to anyone who needed her. Foster care brought her more than just happiness and purpose. Through foster care she also met her husband, Jw Smith. A love story much like you would see in the movies. Two foster parents, each fostering to adopt a pair of brothers separated by the foster system, fell in love, got married and made one huge family. Upon marriage Luann welcomed in four daughters and another son. But she wasn’t finished there, together Luann and J adopted her sixth child and their little caboose, Jackson. Together they had eleven kids and decided to proudly retire from foster care. 

As a mom, Luann always made sure her kids had fun. She spoiled us with love. Taught us it’s okay to get dirty. She would often go without so that her kids could have the things they wanted. She would scrimp and save. She saved and shopped all year, beginning the day after Christmas so next years Christmas could be amazing. She would buy us some of the coolest toys, from life like baby dolls, to Tubeloxs, and trampolines, above ground swimming pools, where she would actually swim and play with us, sweet Lego kits, four wheelers, teepees, tents in our living room, tents on our beds and even ducks for pets. She always found ways to have fun with us. 

Luann was dealt some hard cards in life but never let that stop her. She was diagnosed with crippling rheumatoid arthritis in her early twenties. Her arthritis progressed so fast and severely it took her ability to work away from her. Over the next forty years she endured major pain and deformation of her joints, leading to numerous surgeries and long recoveries. She would often joke that she wanted to donate her body to science because she was half metal. But even through all the pain she found ways to push through and give her kids, and many foster kids the best life possible. 

Having arthritis and not being able to work wasn’t all bad. It did allow her to be exactly what she wanted to be growing up, a mommy. She was blessed and happy to be a stay-at-home mom. She would help other moms around the neighborhood by babysitting or carpooling to and from school. It allowed her to always be there for her kids when they needed her. It also allowed her a little free time for a bowl of popcorn, a can of coke and a good afternoon nap while the kids were at school, which she thoroughly enjoyed on the daily. She had a saying that a good nap could cure anything. 

Luann got an upgrade from parenting when she was blessed with grandkids. Twenty-two amazing children, some who are not kids anymore, all call her Grandma Lu. These grandkids will always cherish the times they had with her and she will be missed dearly by them. Grandma Lu always made sure there was a treat at the house for the grandkids. She would pack crackers an extra snack for kids on outings in case they got hungry or fussy. She was also a very proud grandma to many of our fur babies and one cranky faced tortoise.

Luann was such a caring and loving woman. Beyond the love for kids and family she had a strong love for her friends. She has developed friendships that have lasted  almost forty years. The once small Roy neighborhood that she lived in, she created friendships that we consider family. She was so grateful for the memories she created with friends like going to women’s conference, water aerobics, quilting and sewing together, taking quilting classes, shopping or what she would call retail therapy, traveling across the state to different fabric stores all in one day to get the latest quilting blocks designs, sitting on the couch venting and laughing or just getting in the car to go get a coke. She valued a good friendship. After moving to West Point, she soon found herself in another group of amazing women from the neighborhood who filled her heart with love. Many visits, chats, kind words and sweet gifts were exchanged and cherished. She loved a friend who was accepting of who you are, loved you no matter your faults and could pick up where you left off if there was ever any distance between visits. She was incredibly blessed to have so many of these kinds of friends in her life. She loved you all dearly. 

Luann was a very talented quilter and sewer. Though she referred to herself as an advance beginner, though her amazing work would say otherwise. All of her pieces were made with love, so much love. And sometime a bit of blood as those of you who quilted with her knew the value of a good thimble. She was very creative and sewed many things in her life. As kids we had handmade clothes, Christmas pajamas, doll clothes and blankets, Barbie clothes pillows and sleeping bags, the teepee we would set up in the living room, yep made by her, hot pads, burp cloths, bibs, baby blankets, crib bedding, curtains, pillow cases, quilts and blankets just to name a few.

We have all been very lucky to have Luann in our lives. She loved with all of her heart. She said she loved her family so much it hurt. The love for her family is what kept her going, helped her get through her hard days and what kept her fighting for as long as she did. She is missed already and will forever be in our hearts and memories. 

Luann was preceded in death by her parents LeRoy and Beverly Applonie and her brother Hal Applonie.

We are asking, if Luann has ever made a quilt or a cute sewing item for anyone and they still have it, we would love for them to bring it to show it off, take a picture of you with the item or have a picture sent to us for the memory of how truly talented and loved she was. If anyone has had a blanket or quilt gifted to them from Lu, feel free to wrap up in her handmade gifts of love in "Lu" of coats at the graveside service. Services will be as followed.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday November 29, 2023 from 6-8pm at Russon Mortuary 1585 w 300 s Syracuse Ut 84075, with a graveside service  on Thursday November 30, 2023 at 11am at Lindquist Washington Heights Memorial Park 4500 s Washington Blvd Ogden, Ut 84403. 

Please join us in honoring our Mother.