Gladys Whitaker Smith White Brown

Funeral Service - Zoom Link - https://zoom.us/j/93324395303 Gladys Whitaker Smith White Brown, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend pass through the veil into our Heavenly Father’s arms on May 16th ,2025 in West Jordan, Utah, following a courageous battle with cancer. She will be missed by many and in her last moments in this life she was surrounded by her family. She was born May 20, 1942, to Samuel Schwartz Smith and Jeannette Taylor Whitaker in Salt Lake City, Utah. A proud pioneer family. She was the youngest of eight children, with three older sisters and four older brothers. She was proud of her pioneer heritage and her wonderful parents who loved her and who she loved dearly. As a young adult, Gladys attended the University of Utah for a year then Brigham Young University for the rest of her university education. While at BYU, one of her roommates asked her to write her older brother who was serving in the army overseas. Which Gladys did gladly, and thus began her courtship with David Edward White. Their love for each other grew quickly as they exchanged letters over the next few months. Until letters were no longer enough. Then once David was stateside, he obtained leave from the army and drove up from Texas to BYU in order to ask Gladys to marry him. And though that was their first meeting, Gladys said yes. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 16th, 1963. Then for 38 years they were inseparable on earth until David passed away on July 7th, 2001. Later that year after a lonely time, she met and married the widower Marvel Kent Brown on October 19th, 2001; they were married for 18 years until Kent passed on April 16th, 2020. Gladys loved drawing and painting and studied those specialties at BYU. Throughout her life she painted many portraits of family, friends, and strangers. The hardest portrait she ever painted was of a little girl who died from cancer. The girl’s parents were exceedingly grateful for Glady’s work, especially how she’s made their little one’s face gleam with life. Another of Gladys’ passions was Family History. Which she worked tirelessly at until the last month of her life, recording both the names of her family and others. When she first married David Edward White, David did not know who his great grandfather was. For David’s father was orphaned in his youth. So, Gladys delved through microfiche tapes from the Genealogical Society of Utah in search of David’s Great Grandfather. Whose name she found after many years of research. That discovery open David’s family tree back through the Revolutionary war and all the way to Europe. Gladys also enjoyed serving in the Church Genealogy and Family History library, helping others with their genealogy. Gladys was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served in many callings including Pianist, Primary Teacher, Primary president, young Women’s President, Family History, Ward Historian, Temple Coordinator, and Service Missionary. Her favorite calling was teaching in Primary for she loved interacting with and teaching the children. She always kept candy in her bag to give to them. Her greatest joy in life was her family. She loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is survived by John Whitaker Smith (Brother), Esther Whitaker Bowen (Sister), Teppi and (Lance) Sessions, Teresa and (Hunter) Haight, and Paul and (Teresa) White; eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild; stepchildren; Connie and (Leonard) Gundersen, Charlene (Samuel) Craghead, Ronnie and (Deborah) Brown; nine step grandchildren and sixteen step great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her first husband David Edward White (2001), her second husband Marvel Kent Brown (2020), grandson Samuel David White (2002), sisters Avon Whitaker Oakeson (2003), Joan Whitaker Scott (2020), brothers Samuel Whitaker Smith (2001), Joseph Whitaker Smith (2016), Hyrum Whitaker Smith (2022), stepson Steven Kent Brown (2007), step grandson Benjamin David Brown, and step granddaughter Crystal Dawn Brown. Viewings will be held on Thursday May 29th, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Friday May 30th, 2025, from 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the Winder 3rd Ward at 4551 South 1200 East, Millcreek, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Friday May 30th,2025, at 11:00 am at the same location at the Winder 3rd Ward, 4551 South 1200 East, Millcreek, Utah. Interment at the Salt Lake Cemetery, 200 N Street East, Salt Lake City, Utah

Gladys Whitaker Smith White Brown

May 20, 1942 - May 16, 2025