Connie Smith Kleese, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully of natural causes on October 23, 2025, at the age of 92. She was born on February 25, 1933, in Henrieville, Utah, to Bart and Virginia Smith, and was one of ten siblings in a close-knit family. Connie grew up in the small town of Henrieville, surrounded by the red cliffs and open skies she always loved.
As a young woman, she moved to Nevada to live with her oldest sister, Gloria, and began working to help support herself. While there, she met Robert Kleese, and the two were married soon after. Together they had five children—each born in a different state as Bob served in the U.S. Navy. After Bob’s military service, the family settled in Iowa. Following a divorce in 1971, Connie returned to her hometown of Henrieville, where she raised her five children as a single mother. She worked at the local sewing plant just a few blocks from home, while living with and helping her widowed mother. Her strength, perseverance, and work ethic were an inspiration to her family.
In 1977, Connie moved to Cedar City to attend a secretarial training program, associated with the college, for single parents. She was later employed by the U. S. Forest Service, where she worked faithfully until her retirement in 1995. Connie was known for her dependability, diligence, and loyalty in every task she undertook.
A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Connie dedicated countless hours to family history and temple work. She spent years recording names from microfilms and later indexing thousands of records for FamilySearch, blessing the lives of many through her quiet, consistent service. Connie loved her family deeply and cared sincerely for others’ well-being. She was frugal and practical, yet generous with her time, compassion, and friendship. She cherished the home she was able to get and shared it with many family members. Her unwavering devotion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ was evident in the steady, Christlike example she set for all who knew her.
Connie is survived by three of her five children—Kolene (Curtis) Creek, Rita Twitchell, Marty (Jerri) Kleese, eleven of her twelve grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren, who will miss her dearly but find comfort in her enduring love and legacy of faith.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bart and Virginia Smith, two of her children—Virginia “Robyn” Cox and Kelly Kleese, son-in-law, Lamonte Twitchell, one grandchild, and all nine of her siblings.
Services will be held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Henrieville Cemetery, Under the direction of Cedar Valley Funeral, with a viewing from 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. prior to the service at the cemetery. Online condolences can be sent to her memorial page at www.cedarvalleyfuneral.com.