April 4, 2022,
Margie Lee Smith,
In the yearbook, it says I wanted to be an airline stewardess. I think I was allured with the idea of glamor and travel. Gratefully, I never pursued it. After high school, I went to LA Valley College. Between my first and second year, my older brother married in England. My parents decided this was a great opportunity to take an extended 6-week vacation to Europe. This I considered the first big adventure in my life. My second year in college, I went to school full time and went to work for the phone company. My first real job and benefits were good. They helped to pay for college. I saved enough money to transfer to Brigham Young University after graduating from junior college.
One night at a dance shortly after I arrived, I met newly
returned missionary, Martin Smith. Ten months later we were married in the
Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints Los Angeles Temple. (That was 51 years
ago!) We both continued going to college in LA, both too poor to return to BYU.
We did end up going back to BYU a few years later and graduating.
Shortly after we were married, we faced a huge disappointment,
doctors told us we would never have children. Roe versus Wade had passed, and
adoption became extremely difficult. Fortunately, our church had opened a new
social service in LA. We were very blessed to adopt our first son before our 3rd
anniversary. In the years that followed, we adopted 8 more children. Each one
came as a miracle! And each one has an amazing story. Our family is white,
Asian, and Black, 4 boys and 5 girls. They range in age from 48 to almost 28,
and we have 21 beautiful grandchildren and one great grandson. They have been a
joy and blessing in our life.
Of course, for many years my major career has been being a
mom. Yet I still felt a need to help others with adoption. I volunteered for 20
years working with unwed mothers, couples trying to adopt, and foster parents
and children. I taught parenting classes for 5 years and held many positions in
our church teaching children and youth.
When my youngest was 12, I became a special education
preschool teacher in the Farmington, New Mexico School District. I had my degree
but had to go back to college for a year nights and weekends to get my teaching
credential. I loved teaching special little ones, but I did not like endless
meetings and reports. After 11 years, I retired. Shortly after retiring, I
accepted a local Church calling to plan and assist missionaries in finding
group and individual service projects. I served for 3 years. Until Covid, I did
some substitute teaching. Mostly enjoyed being a grandma.
My family has lived in Farmington, NM in the four corners
area for 35 years. My husband, Marty, became a chiropractor. He also loved his
work and after 31 years he was finally able to sell his practice and retire on November
20, 2021. It has been our desire to serve a mission together for our Church. We
were called to serve in Everitt, Washington. We have been here in this beautiful
area for almost 2 months and will be here for the next 16 months. Our calling
is to help the members, give love and support to the younger missionaries, and
help in our new community. We have had a blessed life and look forward to a
future serving the Lord.
Margie Lee Smith,
In the yearbook, it says I wanted to be an airline stewardess. I think I was allured with the idea of glamor and travel. Gratefully, I never pursued it. After high school, I went to LA Valley College. Between my first and second year, my older brother married in England. My parents decided this was a great opportunity to take an extended 6-week vacation to Europe. This I considered the first big adventure in my life. My second year in college, I went to school full time and went to work for the phone company. My first real job and benefits were good. They helped to pay for college. I saved enough money to transfer to Brigham Young University after graduating from junior college.
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