Mary Smith

On February 27, 2016 our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister passed peacefully away after enjoying 101 very full years of life.  She leaves behind a legacy of love, service, hard work, and family devotion.

Mary was born in Sunnyside Utah on February 4, 1915 to parents Frank Mezek and Frances Lotric.  Both of Mary’s parents had immigrated to the United States from Slovenia.  They met, married, worked, live, and raised their family of 4 children in Carbon County.  After high school in Price, Utah, Mary attended nursing school at the Salt Lake General Hospital and she became a registered nurse.  After graduation, she obtained a nursing job at the Iron County Hospital and she moved to Cedar City to begin her working career.  In August 1937 she met Jacob Vurge Smith and they were married on her birthday, February 4, 1939.  They lived in Cedar City where their marriage lasted 65 years until the death of Vurge in 2002.  Mary worked as a nurse for over 40 years with the Iron County and IHC Hospital and she served as Director of Nursing.  Their marriage was solemnized the Saint George Temple on March 28, 1981.

Mary and Vurge started to travel after their retirement, spending winter months in Blythe, California and motoring from Mexico to Alaska in the summer.  They were active in LDS Church projects, serving in the cannery in Cedar City for many years.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Frances Mezek, her brother Frank Mezek (Irene), her sister Frances Mallard (Robert), and sister in law Shana Mezek.  She is survived by her three sons, Jerry (Jan) of Riverton, Robert  (Kathleen) of Bountiful, and Larry (Charlotte) of Rescue, CA; her brother Rudy Mezek of Price, 13 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren now spread through Utah, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Our family thanks the special care from the Waikoloa Assisted Living Center in Bountiful, the staff of First Choice Home Health and Hospice, Dr. Alisa Knowlton, and many friends and volunteers that have supported her so faithfully.

A viewing will held at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 from 6:00-8:00 PM and funeral services will be in the Bridlewood Ward, 165 W. Monarch Dr. of the Bountiful Orchard Stake on Thursday, March 3, at 12:00 PM, with a viewing from 10:30-11:30 at the church prior to the service.  Interment will be at a graveside service in Cedar City on Friday, March 4 at 12:00 PM.