Edna Mae Waterfall Smith

Edna Mae Waterfall Smith, 97 passed away April 17th, 2019 in Bountiful, Utah surrounded by family and close friends. She was born in Teton, Idaho on August 5th, 1921. Her parents were Daniel Rockwell Wellard and Amy May Stewart Wellard. Edna was the second oldest of 13 children and was called upon to help raise her younger siblings.
Edna married Austin Ulysses Morrison in April of 1939 in Pocatello, Idaho. Daughter Ardis was born in March of 1940. Edna became a widow at a young age and for several years, raised her daughter Ardis by herself.  In the early 1950s, she moved to Salt Lake City to become the first dental assistant at the new Veterans’ Administration Hospital.
Edna married Irvin Norman Waterfall, (“Papa” to Ardis) in July 1954. They lived in Glendale, Taylorsville and Woods Cross where, over the course of their marriage, they hosted over 100 foster children. The neighborhood children became adoptive grandchildren to Edna and Irv. Edna became especially close to Jolene Beazer Randall and her family. Jolene was a surrogate grandchild when Edna’s grandchildren lived outside the United States for many years and that special relationship continues today. Irv passed away in November of 1988.
In January of 1992, Edna married Leo M. Smith and moved to Rexburg, Idaho where she helped the Smith family farm potatoes and, as was her character, became the fill-in matriarch and grandmother to Leo’s family. Her Rexburg family includes seven children, 39 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. Leo passed away in April of 2010.
A life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Edna served three full-time missions. With Irv in California, as a single-sister missionary in Iowa, and with Leo in Illinois. She also served two stake missions. Edna held many callings throughout her life including Relief Society President, Stake Young Women’s Presidency, and various teaching assignments. She attended the temple regularly throughout her life.
Edna wasn’t afraid of hard and dirty work. She was known to tackle physical tasks head-on and could do most anything despite her small stature. She loved gardening, canning, and filling her cookie jar with home-baked treats for the neighborhood children. Edna enjoyed travelling and by the early 50s had visited half of the United States. She also traveled to foreign countries, spending time in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean where Ardis’ family lived. Wherever her gypsy blood took her, Edna always bloomed where she was planted.
Edna was devoted to genealogy work and over the years, gathered stories, dates, and links for many generations of her family tree. She treated the documents and histories as if they were her most prized possession. Most recently, she compiled and published a collection of her mother’s short stories, poetry, and lyrics.
Edna is survived by her brother Dan Wellard of Pocatello, Idaho, and sisters Shirley Warner of Boise, Idaho, Linda (Jerry) Chivers of Pocatello, Idaho, and Larrie Tripp of Arimo, Idaho, daughter Ardis Knudsen of Bountiful, Utah, six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. Also survived by Irv’s son Louis K. (Cheryl) Waterfall, four grandchildren and additional great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by her parents, eight siblings, son-in-law Bruce Knudsen and granddaughter Kana Jean Knudsen.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 24th at the Bridlewood Ward, 165 Monarch Drive, Bountiful Utah at 11:00 am. A viewing for Edna will be held in the Bridlewood Ward building prior to the funeral service from 9:30 am to 10:45 am. Interment is at Lake Hills Cemetery 10055 South State, Sandy, Utah at 2:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, Edna would be honored if you would donate to your ward missionary fund in her memory.
The family would like to thank the owners and staff of Waikoloa Assisted Living in Bountiful for providing a truly loving and comfortable home for Edna during her final years.
Service Information
Viewing April 24, 2019 at 9:30 - 10:45 AM
Bridlewood Ward, 165 Monarch Drive, Bountiful, Utah





Funeral Service
April 24, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Bridlewood Ward, 165 Monarch Drive, Bountiful, Utah