Lamond Smith Obituary (1925 - 2020)

LaMond (Richard LaMond Smith) The Legend - The Man - OUR HERO ~ left us to continue teaching for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he was holding the hand of his eternal companion in the very early hour of February 25, 2020. LaMond was born April 16, 1925 to Ellen Lorraine Ivie and James William Smith (later Divorced) His mother married Dell Ross who raised him as his own. Dad was taught a strong work ethic which took him through his 94 years. He always said he was never a kid because he had to work all his life. He used to tell us he was working when he was 5 years old. Now I believe him because it would take that long to retain all the knowledge that he continued to pass on to all who loved and listened and learned. He spent his early years on South Track working the farms with his family. His dad Dell played in the band at Billy Van's Dance hall so he would watch his younger siblings who adored him because he loved to make cookies and candy for them. After leaving High School he tried many things. He went to Las Vegas, NV where he really learned that adult-ing was not cut out to be as easy as he thought it would be. He sold avocados on the road side stand and told us many time how he had to learn to like avocados to survive. The Vegas time was over and he came back to Delta to work at the hay mill and help on the farm. One night Daddy was visiting a friend Bert Taylor when some other friends came over and they brought their niece, Nellie Tolley and introduced them. Right after that daddy joined the United States Navy. During this time him and Nellie continued to stay in contact. He always said he wrote 20 letters to her one. He docked in Seattle, WA and Nellie took him to meet her parents who lived in Washington at the time. They continued to visit and see each other every chance they got and it was during one of those visits that LaMond asked Nellie to marry him. After getting out of the Navy, LaMond and Nellie went to Ely, NV and were married on September 21, 1946. It was a very cold winter and LaMond was working tearing down some of the Topaz camp and he got very sick. He was taken to the VA hospital in Salt Lake City, UT and was diagnosed with polio arthritis. Both Mom and Dad were concerned that this was the end when his biological father James Smith along with his wife Mildred came and took them home with them and nursed him back to health for several months. After getting better Nellie and LaMond returned to Delta and worked at the Bowen Ranch. They loved the west desert and chasing wild mustangs. They also owned Race Horses and Raced in Beaver and Fillmore all the time. During this time they had their first child Linda Diane. They moved from the Bowen Ranch to McCormick where things seemed to work for them until Mom gave Dad the ultimatum that they move because she was not going to open another drawer and find a rattle snake waiting for her and the concern for their child. So they loaded up and moved to Tooele where Daddy worked at the Smelter and Mom worked at JC Penneys. During their time in Tooele they were blessed with two more children, Randy LaMond and Becky Lee. While in Tooele they were very active in the Tooele Bit and Spur Rodeo Club. Daddy contracted Lead Poisoning and they told him he would not survive if he continued to work at the Smelter so they decided to start looking for places to buy a farm. This took them to Emery County where they moved in 1966 and have lived there every since. It would take a book to tell you just how wonderful of a man LaMond really is. He has always been involved with the community. He and Mom will always be remembered for their wonderful Easter Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt on the desert that grew bigger every year. He served on the Ferron City Council and was instrumental in getting a multi purpose building for the city park and the Millsite golf course just to name a few. There is not a person that has not been blessed that has crossed his path. Daddy was the water master for 30+ years, and this is one of the most thankless jobs, he had a temper that's for sure but he loved just as much. He could just look at a sprinkler line and by the heads tell you how many acre feet was being used. He was the President of the American Hereford Association and took great pride in telling everyone he always loved his secretary Nellie Smith. LaMond and Nellie worked side by side their whole life rather it was farming, riding horses, running the ditches. They were each other's best friend. The great thing about Daddy was he said he didn't think he had any enemies and took pride in telling us he held no hate for anyone. As we say see you later to him we would like to thank all the many friends that have loved and been such a huge part of such a great life. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Josephine, Donna and Dorthy, brothers Ralph and Raymond; daughter Linda Diane Smith, and son Randy LaMond Smith. He leaves behind his constant companion (Bride) of 73 years. Nellie Smith; daughter and favorite son-in-law Keith and Becky Sawaya; daughter-in-law, Ila Jean Smith; grandchildren: Penny (Kenny) Teeples, Kari Smith & Josh Fillingim, Scott (Tracy) Swasey, Cheryl (Josh) Swapp, Heather (Jason) Westring, Cherish (Shawn) Works, Ryan (Desilee) Smith, Kirt (Lauren) Sawaya, Kip (Christina) Sawaya, Lacey (Randy) Hansen; 32 great grandchildren and 2 great, great grandchildren; sisters Norma, Arlene and Barbara; many nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be Friday, February 28, 2020, Ferron, UT, LDS Church 35 W 200 N. at 10:30 a.m. A viewing will be held prior from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Graveside Service: Delta, UT 2:30 p.m. Delta City Cemetery, 450 E 750 N. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and share memories of LaMond at www.fausettmortuary.com.