Ruth was born May 31, 1922, to Joseph Eugene Smith and Lillian Liahona Hutchinson Smith in Randolph, Utah. She married her sweetheart, Earl LeGrande Parkin, on a rainy day on July 26, 1941, later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with 6 children, one died at birth. They raised their family of 2 boys and 3 girls in Holladay, UT. They also raised a huge garden every year and canned the produce to feed their family. Ruth was famous for her mustard pickles. She was an expert seamstress and sewed many of her children’s clothes and later sewed professionally with her sister for many years. They loved to square dance and belonged to several bowling leagues. They were members of the Wasatch Gem Society as avid rock hunters. She and Earl were able to travel to many beautiful places, Tahiti, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Alaska. Ruth and Earl were married for 51 years when he passed away.
Ruth held many positions in the LDS Church, serving in the Primary for many years, and later as Relief Society President. She loved the Primary songs and Hymns and enjoyed them her entire life, gaining much comfort from them in her last days as her children would sit and sing with her. Ruth also served a mission in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for numerous years, and a mission for the Deseret Industries. She was always volunteering for anything she could and was always willing to help.
Ruth is survived by her children, Earlene Thaxton (Arlund), Earl LeGrande Parkin Jr. (Lee (Sue)), Lynda White (Allen), Duane Parkin (Pat), and Carolyn Shipley (Brad). She has 25 grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchildren, who she loved dearly.
Funeral Services will be held Monday, June 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3401 Highland Drive, SLC, UT 84106. A viewing will be held Sunday evening at the Mortuary from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Monday prior to the service.
Interment: Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary.
