Barbara Smith Lappin Obituary (1925 - 2018)

BARBARA SMITH LAPPIN Barbara Alice Amelia Ord Williams Smith Lappin (phew!) passed away at the age of 93 on November 30, 2018. She and he twin brother, Bob, were born on their father’s birthday, May 13, 1925, in Baker, Oregon, to John Byron Ord and Anne Claire Day Ord. Barbara married Floyd Claude Williams on September 8, 1944, and they had three children: Marianne Williams; Thomas Floyd (Diana) Williams; and Judy Lynn (John) Haworth. On Christmas Eve, 1953, the children were put to bed, the stockings were filled, and everything was ready for Christmas. During the night Floyd died of heart failure in his sleep. On March 10, 1956, Barbara married Franklin R. Smith Jr, a widower with a grown daughter, Dixie Geane (Gene) Burrows. Frank was 11 years Barbara’s senior, and adored her children as his own. Together they had three more children: Laurel Elise (Jerry) Wiseman; F. Richards (Elizabeth) Smith III; and David Robert (Jennifer) Smith. Years later they added another son to their home when they took guardianship of 15-year-old Sergio Jesus Tapia. Frank died of cancer on April 16, 1993. Sixty-two years after turning down his first marriage proposal (because she was just 17 and still in high school), Barbara accepted a second proposal and on May 29, 2004, she married Melvin George Lappin. She was 79 and he was 80. Melvin died of cancer on June 5, 2011, leaving Barbara a widow for the third time. With children, grand-children, great-grands and great-great-grands Barbara leaves a posterity of 142, and counting. Add in the respective spouses and her legacy currently reaches 174 descendants to revere her memory and strive to follow her example. Barbara had an immense capacity to love, found joy in simple things, especially the beauty and intricacy of nature, and was a woman of unmovable faith. She had a childlike glee that was irresistible and was effusive in her outpourings of love and kindness, which endeared her to everyone whose path she crossed. Our precious mother and grandmother accepted and loved each person that entered her life. She opened her heart and her home to the lonely and downtrodden, and was expert in brightening anyone’s dreariest of days. Oh, how we will miss her! Preceded in death by her husbands, son Tom, grandson Brian Thomas Williams, and twin brother Bob. Survived by her older brother, Jack. We extend gratitude to the staff at Legacy House, and special thanks to Janet and the entire team at Aspire Hospice for their loving care of sweet Barbara. Funeral Services will be held on Friday December 7, 2018 at 11:00 am at Jenkins-Soffe South Valley 1007 W. South Jordan Pkwy (10600 S) where viewings will be held Thursday December 6th from 6:30-7:30 pm and Friday from 10:00-10:45 am prior to the services. Interment Bountiful City Cemetery.