Alene Smith Kenney

Alene Smith Kenney passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, June 23, 2026, due to causes inherent with age. While she will be greatly missed, her family rejoices that Alene has been reunited with her husband and other family and friends who have passed on.

Alene was born Oct 27, 1934, in Snowflake, AZ, to Fern Hansen and Lawrence Smith. The 2nd of five children, Alene grew up in Snowflake, AZ, where she graduated from Snowflake High School. Alene attended one year at Arizona State College in Tempe, AZ, and then Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, UT, for three years. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Business and a minor in Music. After graduation from BYU Alene went back to Snowflake and taught music for one year at the elementary school. She then moved to Tempe, AZ, and worked for her father’s trucking business.

While living in Tempe she met her sweetheart, Karl Kenney. They were married in the Mesa Arizona Temple in 1960, and lived in Tempe for several years until Karl’s job took them to Denver, CO. They eventually settled in Holladay, UT, in 1970, where they raised their four children. For the last six years, Alene has been a resident of Crescent Senior Living where she made many cherished friends and received loving attentive care which the family greatly appreciated.

Once their first child, Steven, was born, Alene became a full-time homemaker. Alene served in many different church callings including president of the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society, as well as Stake Young Women President. She also served for decades as choir accompanist. Alene and Karl served together for 17 years in the baptistry at the Jordan River Temple, as well as a two-year Family History mission in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.

Alene loved music and was very accomplished on both the piano and organ, but her greatest joy was family. She is survived by her children Steve (Wendy) Pleasant View; Bryan (Lisa), Sandy; DeAnn (Mark), Kennewick, WA; Brent (Ann Marie), South Jordan; 14 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters in Tempe, AZ: Carma, Lue, and Wanda. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and her brother, Milo Smith.

A viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 am on July 11, followed by the funeral at 11:00 a.m. at the Cottonwood 1st Ward Chapel, 5913 S. Highland Drive, Holladay, UT.