Colleen Blanche Bates Smith

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Colleen Blanche Bates Smith

Colleen Blanche Bates Smith, 74, died Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in Layton, UT, after a short battle with cancer.

Colleen, the daughter of Thomas G. Bates and Constance Van Slooten, was born March 29, 1937 in Huntington Park, California.

She attended Whittier High School and Brigham Young University, graduating with a B.A. in 1959. She later earned an M.A. and taught child development at BYU.

She married J. Norman Smith in 1958 in the Los Angeles Temple. They lived in Layton for 20 years. During that time she worked for RGIS Inventory Services and the U.S. Census Bureau, but most of her life''s work was done at home. She applied her intelligence and her unique creative energy to raising her five children.

In her many years of church service, she was an engaging and insightful teacher. She loved needlework, reading, and having flowers in her yard. Because her hands were never empty, she made our lives full.

She is survived by her husband Norman; daughters Connie, Layton, UT, and Laurie (Scott) Nebeker, Eden Prairie, MN; sons, Thann (Amy), Clearfield, UT, Drew (Betsy), Benton, LA, and Chris, Layton, UT; 14 grandchildren; sister Christine (Bates) Heinke, Magalia, CA; brother Calvin Bates, Reno, NV. Preceded in death by her brother Thomas Van Bates.

Funeral services will be held Monday, May 16, 2011 at 11 a.m. at the Hidden Hollow Ward Chapel, 1954 E. Antelope Dr., Layton. Friends may visit family on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist''s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road and Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, Utah Veterans Memorial Park, Bluffdale, Utah.