Twila K. Smith

Twila K. Smith passed away January 17 at the Legacy House Assisted Living facility in Bountiful, Utah. She was born August 28, 1921 in Lava Hot Springs Idaho to Mary Jane and James Kofoed. At age 99 she was the last surviving child of her ten brothers and sisters.
Twila married Arthur Richard (Bud) Smith on June 1,1939, in the Salt Lake temple. After they were married they lived for a short time in Arimo, Idaho, while Bud and his brother, Tom, raised wheat in the Arkansas area between Lava Hot Springs and Arimo. After a few years of Living in Arimo they moved to Pocatello because Bud’s work on the railroad became more permanent. The first house in Pocatello was on West Wyeth Street a couple of blocks from Pocatello High School. Later Twila and Bud moved to a house on North Hayes and then in 1946 moved to 1026 North Grant where Twila lived until 2014 when she moved to Cottonwood Cove retirement community in Chubbuck.
While attending Lava High School Twila was on the girls basketball team, participated in the pep club and was a member of the Lava Glee Club. She was a life long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For a number of years she was president of the Pocatello LDS Stake Primary organization.
Shortly after Twila and Bud moved to Pocatello, Twila recognized that there were other Railroad wives that found themselves alone while their husbands were on the road that took them away from home for days at a time. Twila organized a group of railroad wives into a social group the called “club.” The “club” got together on a regular basis to play pinochle and socialize with one another while their husbands were working. The “club” met regularly for almost 75 years.
For. more than 20 years Twila played golf with the ladies at the Riverside golf course. She enjoyed Bowling and for a number of years participated on a women’s bowling team. Twila and Bud were members of the railroad Junior Old Timers and took many trips with their railroad friends.
Twila and Bud raised four children: Bruce, Leslie, Richard, and Dale. When she passed away she had 13 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren, and 36 great great grandchildren.
A celebration of Twila’s life will be held on her 100 birthday in August. A brief grave side service will be held on Friday, January 22, 2pm, at the Airmo, Idaho cemetery.