Edna LaRue Smoot Johnson passed away Sunday, 24 January 2021. She, along with her twin sister Helen Jean, was born 28 August 1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah and the two were immediately adopted by her new, wonderful parents, Arnol Owen Smoot and Lola Fullmer Smoot and taken to their loving home in Circleville, Utah. With no other siblings to compete, LaRue and Helen had the full attention of their parents, but also grew up in the companionship of many cozy cousins, extended family and close friends in Circleville. They were so close that nothing happened that did not include the whole extended family. During her mid-teens, because of her mother's health issues, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she and Helen attended and graduated from West Phoenix High School. However, they always returned to enjoy their summers in Circleville. Following her graduation in 1953, she attended BYU for one year, then enrolled in a business school in Phoenix. While at BYU, she was rooming with girls from Colorado who invited her to spend Thanksgiving vacation with them in Colorado in 1953. Through a blind date, one of the girls, Janeen Johnson, asked her brother, Leon Johnson, to escort LaRue to the Annual Thanksgiving Dance. This led to an extended, by mail, courtship which led to their marriage in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9 September 1955. After their marriage, in order to help support the family while Leon was finishing veterinary school at Colorado State University, LaRue was employed by Timnath Sugar Factory and Forney Welding Company. After graduation, in 1957, the family, with one son, Ren, moved to Des Moines, Iowa and joined a veterinary practice with Leon's brother. While in Des Moines, a daughter Ellen was born and in 1959 the family moved to Boise, Idaho where they purchased the Northwest Animal Hospital and began their own nearly 40 year practice. LaRue was a vital part of the practice, serving as a phone attendant and bookkeeper as well as an animal nurse, surgical assistant and technician. Even while being heavily involved in the business, she kept a wonderful home and bore seven more children; Clyde, Keith, Sheral, Linda, Catherine, Laura and Wade. Above all of her accomplishments, her greatest was the nurturing and tender loving care she provided for her family as she used the farm life method to teach her children to work, take and share responsibility, co-operate with and love one another. Very rare were the occasions when she missed an activity that involved any of her children, be it school, music, athletic or church sponsored events, but her motherly care and example she provided directly in the home topped it all. In addition to helping her family develop a love for the Savior, LaRue was heavily involved in rendering service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which she loved very much. She gave service to children, youth and adults as an organist and piano accompanist, a Junior Sunday School Coordinator, Primary teacher, Young Women's President, Ward Relief Society President, twice, Stake Relief Society Counselor, Matron in the Boise Idaho Temple, Missionary and Assistant Matron in the Nauvoo Illinois Temple and for 30 years as a typist for her husband as a Stake Patriarch. In February of 2020, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and after undergoing extensive cancer treatment and the associated complications therewith, she passed, leaving behind her husband Charles Leon Johnson; and children: Ren Smoot (Kelly) of Reno, NV, Ellen (Kevin) Burnett of Yakima, WA, Clyde Leon (Lori) of Pleasant View, UT, Keith LaVar (Sue) of Pasco, WA, Sheral (John) Wilkins of Boise, ID, Linda (Mike) Markham of Gaston, OR, Catherine (Todd) Cummings of Herriman, UT, Laura (Kevin) Bernatz of Lewistion, ID, and Wade Charles (Holli) of Parma, ID. She is also survived by 60 grandchildren with 30 in-laws; 75 great-grandchildren; her sister Helen Bauer, Mesa, AZ; an affectionate niece, Lynann Stewart; a large extended family of brother and sisters in-law; a host of other nieces and nephews; and many devoted and supportive friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; one grandchild, Ren Smoot Johnson Jr.; and one great-grandchild, Keith Darrell Burnett. The family expresses heartfelt thanks to the many kind friends who have been so much support during her illness. We also offer our thanks to Dr. Nicholas Gorden and his oncology team as well as Donald Jandera and the First Choice Hospice team for their very professional expertise. Funeral arrangements are made by Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa, Idaho. 208-467-7300 A viewing will be held, 6:30-8:00 PM, Friday, January 29, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Champion Park Ward Building, Meridian, Idaho Stake. 3775 E. Ustick Rd, Meridian, ID 83646 Saturday services: A Zoom meeting will be available for the public at 10 AM, Saturday, January 30, 2021 (the funeral service is private family only due to Covid restrictions). You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 30, 2021 10:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Topic: LaRue Johnson Funeral Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gt5FVLdLTgmb-q5GGGtOUg After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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