LaRae Bowen Smith resident of Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, Ca. and native of Ogden, Utah passed away peacefully at her home in Indio, CA on Friday, December 18, 2020 following a long illness.

LaRae was born July 18, 1937 in Grace, Idaho to Wells and Cleone (Ormond) Bowen.   She grew up in Ogden where she graduated from Ogden High School in 1955.  Following High School graduation, she attended and graduated from Ricks College (1957) in Rexburg, Idaho and Utah State University (1959) in Logan, Utah.  Following college, she taught school in Ogden, Utah and Schenectady, New York.

On June 9, 1960, LaRae married Garr Smith, a childhood boyfriend, in Ogden. Following their marriage, work assignments took LaRae and Garr to numerous places they called home, including Los Angeles, CA, San Jose, CA, New London, CT, Schenectady, NY,  and Brea, Whittier, and Indio, CA.

Through the years, LaRae served numerous callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in many cases working with the youth of the community.  She also served in a leadership capacity with the Girl Scouts and the local PTA.

LaRae and Garr were members of the Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier, CA for over 40 Years where LaRae served as Ladies Club President and several terms as a member of the Ladies Board.  She was an accomplished golfer and a member of the Southern California Ladies Team Championship Team while at Friendly Hills CC.

LaRae loved to sew, cook, and entertain, and operated her own craft/gift business (Gifts Galore) for over 30 years.  She also traveled fairly extensively with her husband Garr and numerous friends to all the Continents except Africa.  She and her daughter, Tracy, also accomplished her personal goal of visiting all fifty US States and their Capital buildings.

LaRae is survived by her husband (Garr) of 60 years, two children Dr. Craig (Lisa) Smith of Palos Verdes Estates, CA, and Dr. Tracy Cumberland of Glendale, AZ.  She is also survived by two grandchildren, Garrett and Makena Smith and a step granddaughter Tanya (Cumberland) Gheen.  LaRae also has two great grandchildren, Henry and Spencer Gheen.

LaRae was preceded in death by her parents, Wells Clayton Bowen and Zetta Cleone (Ormond) Bowen, and her sister Margaret Ann (Bowen) Dodds.

LaRae will be interned at the Ormond family grave site in Bancroft, Idaho on January 9, 2021 at 1 p.m.  Arrangements for Memorial Services are pending.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The National Trust for Historic Preservation ( https://support.savingplaces.org/page/16255/donate/1 ).