Charlene Emma Landis Smith

Funeral Recording

Charlene Emma Landis Smith, loving mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep while in the home of her son Michael on June 13, 2024 at the age of 81.

Charlene was born to Perry and Mary Landis on February 5, 1943 in Salt Lake City Utah. She grew up in the avenues, where she and her mother walked to church with a parasol and white gloves every week (never forgetting to bring her color-coordinated fan to match her dress). She was the only child of her parents and nothing was too good for their princess, whether it was having the first color television in the neighborhood or the best collection of dolls in the school. Charlene was not only the treasure of her parents but her uncles who claimed her as their own and showered her with love and gifts. She was good at nearly everything she tried, and excelled at everything from hula dancing to ice skating, and mom was a master on the piano.

Even with all this attention, Charlene was never quite happy living in a quiet house and fulfilled her dream of a home full of life and buzzing with activity with her ten beloved children. While dad was busy Charlene watched and grew her brood. She certainly got her wish for noise, and added to it herself with an endless loop of songs from her favorite artist, Elvis Presley. She loved to read to her children and they loved the sound of her voice (whether you were the first generation of children who got fairy tales or the younger group who listened as mom read her nursing materials out loud). She is also rumored to have had a bit of a lead foot, but even before the days of the seatbelt, no one could fear her crazy driving because mom always kept her arm out to keep the children safe!

Mom always dreamed of living a self-sufficient farm life and in Heber she made that dream come true. In addition to running her own cake making business and teaching piano, she was committed to growing and raising her own food. Careful that the children not become too attached to the cow, they named him Hamburger. She never backed down from the life she had chosen, even when her son walked into the house with a newly dead rooster who had gotten too rough, suggesting chicken for dinner. While she understood the realities of farm living, she was a fierce dog lover, and each of her children can speak with love of the dogs that were always in their home.

Charlene grew not only children with grit and fortitude, but who knew how to have fun. Everyone remembers many impromptu trips to Disneyland, she was most happy when she had her babies around her in the happiest place on earth. Every year as we put the ornaments out on the Disney tree those times together surged in our memories. She knew how to celebrate and Christmas was always an event, she often spent the whole year planning for the next one, no matter what finances were like if Charlene heard of a child’s wish she found a way to make it come true. She truly made the lives of her children magical.

When Charlene found herself a single mother of 10 children, she realized she needed a career. She enrolled in nursing school and made her way to a very new life, studying late nights in the bathroom because it was the warmest room in the house, with her youngest boys asleep on the tile. She persevered and received her nursing license and began a nearly 25 year career. Shortly after receiving her degree she met Bryan Smith, an English Gentleman of the truest sort. She was smitten, and Bryan and Charlene were married on June 30 1990. Bryan had already raised his family, but welcomed Charlene’s children as his own. A week before Bryan’s death in 2016 they had just settled on their next five year plan.

Charlene had a heart of service, and whether she was caring for her children and grandchildren or serving in one of her many roles at church she always knew how to make everything around her more beautiful. She served in many capacities at church, but a few of her treasured opportunities were her time as a service missionary in the inner city mission beside her husband, Bryan, many years as a temple worker in the Salt Lake Temple, and many callings playing the piano over the years. Her faith was unshakable, regardless of the many challenging moments in her life she stayed true to her testimony of Jesus Christ, and her promptings, dreams, and pure inspiration have guided and protected her children on countless occasions. When she understood it was the will of her Heavenly Father, no matter the personal cost she followed that prompting, the existence of her youngest son is certainly evidence of her faith.

Charlene is preceded in death by her dear husband Bryan, and her beloved parents and uncles. Charlene is survived by her children: Deborah (Cliff), Carol, Sean Paul (Melissa), Dan, David (Julie), Nalani (Dave), Ben (Heather), Shawn (Jessica), Michael (Chariti), Jon (Niki), and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am at the Cannon Mortuary Chapel, 2460 East Bengal Blvd (7600 South). Visitation will take place prior to the services on Thursday morning from 10:00-11:00 at the Cannon Mortuary. Interment will take place at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N St E, Salt Lake City, Utah