Fernalice Richards

FernAlice Smith Richards (Fern) BRIGHAM CITY – FernAlice Smith Richards (Fern), 76, died Sunday, January 15, 2023 at Ogden Regional Medical Center while rehabilitating from a stroke. She was born on April 28, 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a daughter of Dewitt Cross and Alice Fern Jensen Smith. Mom had a happy childhood and enjoyed bike riding, swimming and traveling in the car to Hyrum, Utah to visit her grandparents (Jensen). She recalled grandma giving her a small loaf of homemade bread to take home, and grandpa laughing when she fell in the irrigation ditch. Mom received her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in elementary education. While attending BYU, she met Dad (Rex Alton Richards) and they began dating after she really enjoyed his slideshow presentation of his mission to Japan. She taught school in Tacoma, Washington for a year, and subsequently married Dad September 12, 1969 in the Logan, Utah Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) temple. After some time in Logan, Utah the young family traveled to American Samoa where Rex taught science at the LDS community college. Although challenging, Mom recalled this experience with fondness. After their return to Utah, Mom focused her life on raising six children in Brigham City. She took pleasure in taking each of us individually on walks where she shared the wonders of nature with us. Mom would even jump in piles of leaves! She was a good listener and problem solver. Mom loved writing essays and poetry. She also had a lot of fun reading stories to first graders for over 20 years at Mountain View Elementary. Mom was a very happy person who literally enjoyed the sunshine and brightening peoples’ moods. Mom enjoyed serving in many callings for the Church but especially loved Primary. Surviving are her children, three sons and three daughters: Douglas (Tawna) Richards, Cedar City; Heather (Timothy) Guenther, Columbus, Indiana; Marne’ (Jeffrey) Olsen, Spanish Fork; Steven (Willow) Richards, Brigham City, Daniel (Jane) Richards, Layton; and Rachel (Nathan) Porter, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Also surviving are one brother Paul (Joyce) Smith, Warrenville, Illinois, 19 grandchildren and 2 great-granddaughters. She was preceded in death by her loving spouse Rex Alton Richards and older sister DeAnna Horstmeier. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. in the Brigham City 1st Ward Chapel, 236 East 100 South. A viewing will be held before the funeral from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the same location. Interment will be in the Brigham City Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Gillies Funeral Chapel. Click this link to view additional details about FernAlice's Services, including any available live streams: https://my.gather.app/remember/fern-richards