Rea Fay Smithson
1942-2012
Rea Fay Millett Smithson, age 70, passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2012, surrounded by her family. She was born February 15, 1942 in Mesa, Arizona, to Perry Edgar and Rea Audrey Millett. She spent her early years in Arizona, graduating from Mesa High School. She married Don O'Barr and together they had four children, Yancy Wayne, Tammy Lynn, Patrick Jay, Benjamin Arthur. They were later divorced.
Fay moved to California where she worked as a CNA. She added to her family when she married William Ray Eckhardt. She became mother to his children, Sherry Lynn, Andrew Lewis and Randall Eugene. Later, a son, William Ray Jr. was born. The family moved to Arkansas, where Fay went back to nursing school and received her LPN license. She worked at Rebsamen Regional Medical Center.
After the death of her husband, Fay moved to Mona, Utah, to be near to her mother. She worked at Central Valley Medical Center, where she loved both the people that she helped, and the people that she worked with. She was sealed to James Delbert Smithson in the Salt Lake LDS Temple in 1992. Together Fay and Jim loved to travel, camp, play games, read books, garden, and visit their children and grandchildren. Fay also loved to shop, quilt, craft, collect rocks, and just be out in nature. She was generous with her talents, time and resources, always willing to help, no matter what the need.
Fay was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and served in the Relief Society and Primary organizations as a leader and a teacher. Her favorite calling was working with the young children in the nursery. She also loved to make quilts for the 4th of July carnival.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Bill Eckhardt and Jim Smithson, a daughter, Tammy, a son, Andrew, parents Rea and Perry, sisters, Barbara and Wylene, and a grandson, James Matthew Baker. Fay is survived by her sisters, Jean, Teddy, and Vicky, her children, Yancy (Harriet), Patrick (Wylene), Benjamin (Laura), Sherry (Randy), Randall (Iva), William (Angela) and the children of James Smithson. As well as grandchildren, Heather Chapin, Randal, Jonathan, Adam, and Zachary Baker, Brittany, Audrey, Courtney and Zoey Eckhardt, Ricky and Amber Eckhardt, Zackary, Travis, and Joshua Dunlap, Amber Bellamy, Matthew, Kimberly, Joshua, Jennifer, and Timothy O'Barr, and more than 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Monday, April 16, 2012, in Mona, Utah. Interment was at the Mona City Cemetery.
