Samuel Milton Smith, 84, of Price, Utah, passed away May 22, 2024 with his wife and a daughter by his side after living a life of love and adventure with his wife, Darlene Craycraft Smith.

Sam was born November 6, 1939 in Rexburg, Idaho to Gale and Ila Smith. He graduated from Three Forks High School in Montana in 1958. He and his family spent their summers farming in Montana, and traveled to areas with booming construction projects such as Southern California.

He started a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Argentina, but got hepatitis. Once he was well enough, he finished his service in a Spanish speaking mission area covering Southern Texas and New Mexico.

After his mission, he went to community college and then transferred to BYU, where he graduated in 1972 with a masters in geology and a minor in chemistry.

Sam met Darlene and a year later they were married in December of 1964 at the Los Angeles Temple. He passed away six months before their 60th anniversary.

As a geologist, he worked as a mining engineer spanning multiple states. He spent a lot of summers in Alaska and winters in Texas.  After retiring, he drove a school bus in Greybull, Wyoming until he moved a final time to Price, Utah

As an active member of the LDS faith, he served in many positions including 7 years as branch president in Absarokee, Montana, and temple worker in the Billings, Montana Temple.

He was a great outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish. He had many hobbies including, but not limited to, rock hounding, gem faceting, jewelry making, gunsmithing, pen turning, auto mechanics, photography, and computers.

Sam was a patient and loving man who easily made friends wherever he went.  These traits made him a beloved father and member of the various communities that he lived in.

Sam is survived by his wife, Darlene; and children, Andrea (Bryon) Zorn, Yvonne (Ross) Hurd, Sandy McCowan, Joshua (Jacqueline) Smith, Nicole (Floyd) Mitchell, 16 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Gale and Ila Smith; his brothers, Vern Smith and Blair Smith; and his grandson, Justin McCowan.

At this time, there will not be a funeral. In a couple of months, the family will have a celebration of life.