John Franklin Smith III was born January 25, 1945 to John Franklin Smith Jr. and Myrtle Irene Shaffer in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
John passed away peacefully on August 17, 2019, surrounded by his loving family.
John was the oldest of three children: sister, Janet (Grant) Laws, Carbonville, UT; and brother, Samuel (Sharron Powell) Smith, Ferron, UT.
John married Ina C. Vest on March 18, 1971 in Cedar City, UT. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti Temple. John and Ina were blessed with five children: Monti (Jin A) Smith, South Korea, Michael (Rita Roberts) Smith, Boise, ID, Jean (Joe) Sanchez, Price, UT; Mark (Megan Selman) Smith, Austin, TX, and Matthew (Tamara Thayn) Smith, Atlanta, GA.
John grew up in Jerome, PA and moved to Hiawatha, UT in 1957. He enjoyed playing baseball on the Hiawatha team and graduated from Carbon High School. He later attended CEU and USU – spending his summers in Jackson Hole, WY haying, guiding, and wrangling horses for Teton Park, US Forest Service, and Moosehead Ranch.
John was drafted and served in the 9th Infantry Division of the US Army. Most of his time was spent in Fairbanks, AL, which he loved.
After fulfilling his commitment to the Army, he pursued his dream of being a cowboy and attended the Ranch Management program at Texas Christian University. He went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from SUU, where he rode bulls and met/married his wife, Ina.
After graduating, he worked for several ranches in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. He later returned to Utah and worked in several coal mines. He drove truck and heavy equipment for the gas fields and the US Forest Service.
John loved riding and ranching, trains, going to auctions, fishing/cruising Lake Powell, and tending his poppies and irises. Most of all, he loved to spend time with his grandchildren.
John will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father John F. Smith Jr. and mother Myrtle Irene Shaffer.
Funeral service, Friday, August 30, 2019, 11 a.m., Price North Stake Center where the family will receive friends from 10-11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price where friends are always welcome and my share memories of John online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.