We detest dementia, it’s a horrible disease, now our mom is free from the grip of this horrible monster.

Karen Sue Martindale Smith came into this world on Wednesday June 30th, 1948, at 8:15pm. Karen was the oldest of 6 children that were born to Melvin Leroy Martindale and Jeanette Gwen Hess Martindale. Karen was born at St. Anthony Mercy Hospital in Pocatello, Idaho. She spent the first years of her life in Pocatello. The family moved from Pocatello to Utah where Karen went to elementary school. The family also spent time in Kearns, Utah. In 1958 the family moved to Kelso, California. It was in the middle of the desert. The school was a one-room schoolhouse with 16 students and one teacher. The family moved around but eventually moved back to Salt Lake City Utah. The family ended up living next door to Fred and Evelyn English. Fred and Evelyn had a son named Steven. Steven had a cousin who spent a lot of time in their house named Danny. Karen met Danny and “Eventually” fell in love. Karen and Danny were married June 11th, 1966, in the Salt Lake City Temple. Danny and Karen had 5 kids: Deborah (Debbie later married John Schindewolf); Joseph (Joe later married Ruby Moraga); Darren (Darren later married Milani “Lani” Ramirez); Jacob (Jake later married Tedra Barrett); and Tiffany (Tiffany later married Brett Matheson, div. Chris Day, div. (Kyle Green)). Mom’s greatest joy was and still is being a mother and she was really good at it. Mom’s working career did not amount to much and that was fine with her. Mom never wanted to be anything other than a mother. In this world we live in that celebrates career women, my mom left this world more accomplished than all the “successful businesswomen” put together. My mom grew up in a simpler time where mothers were still cherished and just being a housewife was not considered to be a life failure. You hear all the time about how teachers are underpaid. You hear all the time about how police officers are underpaid. You hear all the time about how medical workers and first responders are underpaid. I agree with each of these but how often do you hear about how mothers are underpaid, almost never! How much do we pay mothers, I’ll give you a hint, it’s less than teachers, less than police officers, and less than medical workers or first responders. It’s ZERO.

Mothers do the most important job in the world, and they don’t even get paid a dime. The power of motherhood is unmatched anywhere. Empowered women, girl power! These are no match for mother power. Yes, messing with a woman is a bad idea but messing with a mother is the worst idea. This is especially true when they are protecting their children. Women have a specialty that is unlike anything. The bible says of a virtuous woman, her worth is far above rubies. Mothers have a power that is unmatched. Mothers are entrusted with the ultimate power of assisting in life creation. Our society has raised the importance of women in business and lowered the value of mothers, or we expect women to just do everything. Think about it, would it be such a horrible thing to be just a mother. My mom didn’t think so. She didn’t just succeed in being a mother, she impressively succeeded in being a mother. All women have this power. There are women that I know that while not being the mother of my kids they are a mother to my kids. My mother is a mother to all kids. Raising kids is an amazing experience when done with dedication and purpose. Raising us five kids was a challenging task for my mom. Sure, my mom’s middle child was a perfect angel, but her other kids were a challenge, J/K. But my mom took on this task. My mom did an amazing job at the most important job. I tell my daughter that she can succeed at anything, she can be a CEO, she can be an astronaut, she can even be the president of the United States. But nothing will be as important or rewarding as being a mother. So, if our society will not celebrate my mother for just being a mother, we will. We will celebrate our mother not for being the first woman to do this or the first woman to do that. We will celebrate our mom just for being an amazing mother. She succeeded in the most important job, not just some trivial job just to get a paycheck. Girls are special, women are special, and mothers are special. Later in her life, our mom, the absolutely amazing mother she was and still is. She was and is an even greater grandmother and great grandmother. She was always up for a puzzle or some arts and crafts or sitting down for a sad movie even if she was crying before the movie even started.

Our mom leaves behind a husband, a sister, two brothers, five kids, thirteen grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. She is now reunited with her parents (Melvin Leroy Martindale and Jeanette Gwen Hess Martindale), her sister (Dennese Martindale Snarr), and her brother (David Martindale). She also leaves behind her countless number of Eeyores.

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The viewing will be held at Broomhead funeral home on Tuesday October 27, 2026. From 6-8 PM. Funeral service will also be at Broomhead funeral home on Wednesday October 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The gravesite dedication is also Wednesday after the service. After the dedication there will be a church luncheon.

Address

Broomhead Funeral Home - 12600 S 2200 W Riverton, Utah. 84065.

Gravesite Dedication: Memorial Redwood Cemetery – 6500 S Redwood Rd West Jordan, Utah. 84084.

Church Luncheon – 4986 S Valois Dr Taylorsville, Utah. 84123.

Eternal Perspective –

I sensed you here today,

I sensed you did not leave,

I sensed there is hope for me,

“Don't make me come down there!”

All I have to do is pray,

I sensed you were in a better place,

But how does that help me,

I sensed my heart in so much pain,

I’m really not OK

There has to be a God above,

I can feel him in my heart,

Tender mercies comfort me,

Without, I would fall apart,

The Lords plan seems so unfair,

But how can I even know,

I know God is there for me,

My faith I can only show

God’s plan is eternal,

There is so much I don’t see,

“I trust” is so hard to say,

Doubts, they’ll come for me,

With time I will understand,

The plan God has for me,

It is so hard right now,

Without you here with me,

I will continue to show my love,

My faith will never leave,

God is at the center,

In this, I REALLY BELIEVE.

– Darren Ernest Smith