Dina Marie Downs Smith January 10, 1943 ~ May 31, 2026
Dina Marie Downs Smith, 83, transitioned peacefully to her Heavenly home on Monday evening, May 31st, where she was greeted by a host of beloved family members and friends who were anxiously awaiting her arrival.
Dina Marie (the Bumble Bee) was born January 10, 1943, in Ogden Utah to Melvin John and Nathalia Joye Downs. She burst into this life with a giant spirit of love, happiness, loud laugh, and found the joy in the every day. Her life was defined by her devotion to her Savior and her faithful and lifelong membership to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she held many callings, but most notably, teacher.
Dina is best known as the beloved Mrs. Smith, where she taught elementary school for 24 years in Grace and Preston, Idaho school districts. She instilled in her students a deep love of reading, writing poetry, and finding the magic in everything. Even after she retired, she became “Grandma Dina, The Story Lady” at the Grace Public Library, and was voted Grand Marshall of the Caribou County kids day parade in 2023.
Dina married the love of her life, Lynn E. Smith, on December 21st, 1962, in the Logan temple. The farm-boy football star and the city-girl socialite. They started their life together in Ketchum, Idaho where Lynn taught school and coached, then moved to Bountiful, Ut while Dina finished her bachelor's degree and they welcomed their first two children, Shellee and Larry. However, when you marry a farm boy from Grace, Idaho, the pull home is strong. They moved back to Grace in 1970 and have built an incredible life together, adding three more children, Teresa, Andrea and Mitch. Dina had to quickly adjust to simple farm life, and lived by her favorite saying, “bloom where you are planted”. Dina was the life of every party, made everything she touched “an event”, and shared her love of life and stories with her grandchildren. She gave everything she had to her little family and loves them fiercely. She is preceded in death by her parents, Melvin and Joye Downs, 2 brothers Greg and Jim Downs, and a grandson, Colton Crawford. She is survived by her husband Lynn, her children Shellee Daniels (Steve), Larry Smith (Becky), Teresa Crawford, Andrea Holyoak (Jamie), Mitch Smith, 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.
The family would like to invite all of Dina’s beloved family and friends to celebrate her extraordinary life.
Funeral Services were held on Saturday, June 6th at 12:00 pm in the Grace Idaho Stake Center. Viewings were held Friday evening and Saturday prior to the services. Interment was in the Grace Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com
