Sidnie Smuin Garn
Sidnie Smuin Garn
1941 – 2023
Sidnie Smuin Garn passed peacefully on June 22, 2023 surrounded by her children. Sidnie was born in Ogden, Utah in 1941 to Russel and Evelyn Smuin.
She had a magical childhood. Dancing was her passion from a very young age. Ballet ran through her veins and her old toe shoes show the pain and grace that went into her dancing. Her mother, Evelyn was an excellent seamstress and made couture level clothing for her throughout her youth. The story of the black and white check skirt with buttons sewn on every other square is still legendary. Her mother’s talents were passed onto her, and Sidnie used it to dress her children beautifully in custom outfits, and she even went to the extent of making matching outfits for their dolls.
If you went to Ben Lomond High school during her time, you would remember seeing her adorable self in the classic Ben Lomond plaid cheerleading uniform. One of her favorite memories growing up is boating with her family in the boat her dad built. Family was important to her from the very beginning. She has missed her brother Richard who passed away in 2010, and she loves her sister Jill Ortegon. After high school, Sidnie attended BYU as an English major. She always joked that she was there to get a degree in Mrs, but she pulled off getting the B.S. degree in the end. During her days at BYU, sororities were in full force. As a member of the OST Sorority, she put on the big dance of the year at Log Haven up Millcreek Canyon. She was engaged at the time, but needed a date and her fiancé was serving a mission. The fiancé’s roommate stepped in to save the day, and the rest is history. That roommate is the love of her life, Ralph Garn, AKA Ralphie.
Sidnie and Ralph had an adventurous beginning, moving from state to state as Ralph earned his Doctoral degree and started his career in social services. Sidnie and Ralph have five children, Robin Thomas, Holly Minshew, April Brand, Noelle Stokes, and Adam Garn. She loved her children fiercely. One of Sidnie’s favorite things was the family cabin in Island Park. Summers were spent floating the river. One of her last requests was to have her children and grandchildren float this same river in her honour. Artistry and creativity were strong in her world. Painting was a passion from her early years and throughout her life. She recently painted every home she has every lived in and had them hanging on her walls. All thirteen homes were painted in detail. Holidays were a magical explosion in her homes. Her children remember it as a fantastical wonderland. Throughout her life, she had a love of reading. You could find stacks and stacks of books by the side of her bed, and without a doubt she read every one of them.
Yes, Sidnie had her vices and one of them was Diet Coke. She specifically loved it in her tall metal cup with a metal straw, but to our dismay, during the last year of her life Pepsi Zero made an appearance and became the go to. If you asked anyone who knew Sidnie, they would say she could entertain like the best of them, but she specifically requested that her life story does not say “she was a great pie maker”, and she wasn’t, so we won’t.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she served like no one else. She especially excelled in any calling that involved parties, and people knew that, so that is where she served for the majority of her life. Everyone knows that Sidnie was proud of her heritage which led to her involvement with the Daughter’s of the Utah Pioneers. Persistence was a trait which led her to achieving her Golden Gleaner award as an adult, and believe me she would want you all to know about that because it was so important to her, but not as important as her grandkids.
Sidnie was known by all the littles as “Mimi”. If she was at the birth of a grandchild, you could spot her immediately in her Mickey Mouse sweatshirt. That sweatshirt has seen the insides of hospitals from Texas to California to Utah. She loved her grandchildren with her heart and soul, and they loved her back. If you went to Mimi’s house you could find closets of crafts, costumes, dolls, trains, and everything and anything a little would want. Her grandchildren will miss her dearly.
We are so sad to have our dear mama leave this earth, but this sadness is overshadowed by our happiness as we picture her with her one and only love, Ralph. She danced gracefully through this life, and now she gracefully dances into the arms of our dad.
There will be an open house to honor her life on Friday, June 30, 2023 (her date night) from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Alpine 5th Ward Chapel, located at 165 North 100 East, Alpine, Utah, 84003. Her children and grandchildren will have a private graveside service at the Teton-Newdale Cemetery on July 8, 2023