What is the story
concerning Smith and Bernice’s deaths?
The year was 1959. Douglas was 16 years old, Virginia was 12 years old, and Donna was 10 years old. The day was April 1st (April Fool’s Day). Smith had attended the Western Conference of Deans of Graduate Schools in California of which he was president. When he returned home, he stopped by BYU High School to see Douglas and stopped at Wasatch Elementary School to pick up Virginia and Donna for lunch. After the girls had returned to school, he and Bernice had a quiet moment together. It would be their last in this life.
When Smith returned to the Brigham Young University campus, he went to the office of his good friend, Lester Whetten. It was there that Smith died quickly and quietly of a heart attack. His friend thought he was yawning. He was probably trying to breathe.
He died on a Wednesday. He was buried the next Tuesday, 7 days later. Bernice didn’t have time to make the arrangements before General Conference that weekend, and she refused to bury him on his 54th birthday, April 6th.
The major care for Bernice came from Bill and Donna Mayfield. Richard and Virginia Wheeler took care of her while Richard obtained his PhD in Electrical Engineering from BYU and at various times later. Bernice regained quite a bit of her health. She moved with Bill and Donna to San Diego, CA, Sherman, TX, and Colorado Springs, CO. In Feb. 1981, Bernice developed Phlebitis in her leg and died on the operating table. The physicians brought her back to life, but she never regained her health. She died of a stroke in her bed at home in Colorado Springs on May 31, 1981.
Both Smith and Bernice are buried in the Provo City
Cemetery, Provo, Utah. We will be
visiting the gravesite Sat., Apr. 4, 2015.
You are invited to join us.