Florence (Smith) Mumford

Florence Smith Mumford of Huntsville died peacefully the day after her 97th birthday.  Florence was born on May 14, 1923, in Huntsville, Utah, the oldest of 7 children of Clarence & Selma Mortensen Smith.  She is survived by her children, Jim (Kathy), Meridian, Idaho; Gary (Brenda), Kaysville; Rex (Debbie), Huntsville; Scott (Doris), Grapevine, Texas; and Julie Wilding (Brett), Kaysville, 22 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren, and by two sisters, Cleo and Ila.  She was preceded in death by husbands, Arthur Mumford, and Carl Singleton, by her brothers, Jack and Larry, and sisters, Barbara and Dona. 

Florence was born in humble circumstances and was raised during the Great Depression.  Her family shared the home of her grandparents, John and Mary Smith.  She attended Huntsville School and graduated from Weber High School and LDS Seminary in 1941.  She attended Weber College in tailoring and became an accomplished seamstress.

Florence was a war bride during World War II.  During a three-week furlough from the Army, Art proposed, and they were married on August 21, 1942.  They were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.  They lived in Baltimore, Maryland, for 17 months.  When Art was transferred to the Alaskan Highway in Canada, Florence returned to Ogden to work.  After the war’s end, they built a home on the Mumford family fruit farm in Sunset.  In 1960, they moved to Huntsville and built the home where she lived for over 55 years.  Florence loved the beautiful scenery and people of the valley.

Florence spent a lifetime of service in church, school and community.  She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served in many callings in the Relief Society and Young Women.  She served in the PTA at the local and state levels, and in the 4-H, teaching sewing and homemaking skills to her daughter and many girls.  She served on the Weber-Morgan Board of Health and volunteered at McKay-Dee Hospital and at the Ogden Union Station Gift Shop.  She was a charter member of the Granny Smith Chapter of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  Florence was honored as the 1991 Weber County Mother of the Year.  She was named royalty for the 2009 July 4th and 24th parades in Huntsville and Ogden. 

Her family was her greatest joy and she treasured being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  Her hands were never idle.  She baked bread, churned butter, and made meals from her garden, orchard, and farm.  Florence enjoyed the family boating and waterskiing outings at Pineview, Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge.  Fishing trips in Canada were a highlight.  She enjoyed bicycling, camping and hiking.  Florence loved to read and was thrilled when a library opened in Huntsville.  She had many friends including a lady’s club that met monthly for 60 years.  Her passion for adventure and travel led her to all 50 states and to numerous foreign countries. 

After Art’s death in 2009, she was courted by Carl Singleton.  They were married a few months before his sudden death.

The family wishes to thank the many caregivers at Avamere at Mountain Ridge Assisted Living facility who so lovingly cared for her during her final 20 months of life. 

A private family service will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 2 p.m. which can be viewed on the Myers Mortuary & Evergreen Memorial Park Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/myersmortuary

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