Ilene Evans Smalley

Ilene Evans Smalley was born February 4, 1924 in Malad City, Idaho to Evan Jones Evans and Clara Esther (Bolingbroke) Evans. Her parents were born in the same city and were farmers of Welsh and English ancestry respectively. Ilene was the youngest of 8 children. She was active in high school in student government (Student Body Secretary) and as a singer. Ilene entertained many groups and was a soloist in Grand Junction, CO as a senior after winning a contest in Malad. She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints September 6, 1942, after attending 4 years of Seminary in Malad with friends in high school.

She met George Ellefsen Smalley at the University of Idaho and they were married at her parent’s home in Malad on April 18, 1944. After WWII they moved to Arcadia, CA for George's employment as a chemical engineer. While living in Arcadia they were sealed for eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1949, with their two oldest children, Mike (Valerie) of Huntington Beach, and David (Tamera) of Riverside. Three more children followed, Marilyn (Duane) Hendrickson of Nuevo, Janet (John) Schaub of Simi Valley and Jonathan (Deborah) of Riverton, Utah. The family moved to Long Beach, living in the same home since 1956.

Ilene was grateful to be a stay-at-home mom and active in the church, serving in many different capacities, well into her 80’s. As a member of the church’s Relief Society, she visited the sick, shut-ins and provided meals to those in need and later served as the president of the Relief Society and then as president of the Primary (the children's organization). After the genocide of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, she and her husband served a mission to care for and minister to refugees in Long Beach. Her most challenging service was caring for her husband, who suffered from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s for more than a decade. Her devotion to him inspires multiple generations of her descendants. After George died in 1995, she served in the Los Angeles Temple two days of the week for 10 years.

Ilene was preceded in death by all her siblings, Erma (Dick) Forbess, Mary (Wendell) Palmer, William, Jennie (Lynn) Alder, Earl (Jeannie), Chet (Lucille) and Wesley (Dixie). Only one sister-in-law, Jeannie, survives her. Ilene was also preceded in death by her husband’s 4 siblings and their spouses, Lyman (Joyce) Smalley, Russel (Lois) Smalley, Florence (Bill) Bellomy and Carol (John) Lovejoy.

Living at home until 3 months before, Ilene passed quickly to eternity on July 2, 2015 after a full normal day of helping others as a resident at Sunrise Assisted Living in Seal Beach. Ilene is survived by all 5 children, 4 of their 5 spouses, all 19 grandchildren (and 12 spouses) and all 31 great grandchildren, with one on the way, soon. Blessings from the Lord have been over flowing.

In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to The Humanitarian Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services.html .