February 23, 1931 – February 14, 2026
Fern Louise Smith was born on February 23, 1931 to Abraham and Irva Slatter in Filer, Idaho. Her early years were spent primarily on the family farm in Council, Idaho where she loved farm life: riding horseback to her one-room schoolhouse, sleeping in the hay loft when the house was fumigated for bed bugs, laughing with her sister Blanche while they sat in the “two-holer” outhouse. Fern was always a joker. It’s difficult to find a picture of her as a child in which she was not making a silly face or to recall a childhood story in which she wasn’t mischievous. Opportunity moved the family to Weiser, Idaho, where her father owned a repair shop. Fern played piano for school concerts and bass drum in the marching band. Her dream was to marry a pastor and become a mom. She started living that dream when she married her high school sweetheart Jimmy Smith on December 11, 1948.
Shortly after their wedding, Jim and Fern moved to Aurora, Illinois where Jim attended Aurora College. Fern looked back on this time fondly, recalling the experience of driving their Ford Model A, weighed down by a trailer, which could not exceed 25 mph for the entire 1,800 mile drive. In Aurora, Fern both worked to support her husband’s studies and gave birth to their first child, Nancy Jo. After Jim’s graduation in 1955, the family moved to the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles, California to plant the Valley Advent Christian Church, where Fern faithfully played piano and organ every Sunday.
They returned to Idaho for a time, where sons Gregory James and then Jeffrey J were born, but soon returned to the Valley Church.
In 1968, Jim and Fern purchased property on the Secesh River in Idaho, where they began the years-long process of building a cabin. “The Place,” as they once called it, would become a hub for the many friends and family they hosted each year, a tradition that spanned more than five decades. In the many summers enjoyed there after its completion, Fern could be found reading her Bible in the quiet morning hours, sipping coffee from her favorite mug, winning a game of Yahtzee in the afternoon before a nap, walking to the bridge and back as the sun set, and preparing food for a crowd in nearly all the hours in between. To know Fern was to know this extraordinary place that she and Jim built together.
In 1979, Jim and Fern relocated to Lewiston, Idaho, where Jim continued his ministry for the Advent Christian Conference. Fern cared for hospice patients, a job she loved and in which she took great pride. The couple eventually moved to the Boise area, and then into assisted living for several years, where Fern enjoyed reading her Bible and devotionals, caring for her dog, tinkering with small creative pursuits, and playing her beloved piano. In 2025, Fern moved into memory care in Middleton, Idaho. That same year Jim and Fern celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary with Fern’s favorite treat –a hot fudge sundae. Her final days gathered family around her until she passed peacefully on February 14, 2026.
Fern’s life was guided by her love of the Lord and she clung to the knowledge that He loved her. Her faith was a gift to those around her – who benefitted from her prayers, encouragement, and good advice, more often than not punctuated by the very playfulness that made her so special. In her later years as her memory began to fade, she asked her family to continue to remind her of God’s love for her. It’s such an easy request to fulfill for someone who was loved by so many. Looking back on her life, a scripture comes to mind: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Fern is preceded in death by her parents Abraham and Irva Slatter, her siblings Alfred (Bob), Inez, Dorothy, Nina Belle, Donald, Blanche, and Delbert. She is survived by her husband Wilmer James (Jim) Smith, her children Nancy, Greg and Jeff, her grandchildren Jaime, Julie, Zachariah, Megan, Caleb and Jordan, and her great grandchildren Abby, McKenna, Finnegan, Townes, Saoirse, Madison and Samantha.
A memorial service will be held at a later date and details will be shared when they are available. In lieu of flowers, the family requests your prayers. Condolence cards may be sent to Jim at 589 N Cardigan Ave, Star, ID 83669.
One Response
Personality A+
Heartfelt A+
Sincere A+
Joyful A+
Spiritual A+
Faithful A+
Helpful A+
Dependable A+
Loving A+
Everything Else A+
Will be missed A++++++++++