David Wayne Smart died peacefully on November 25, 2018 after a courageous battle with cancer. David was born on May 9, 1939 in Rexburg, Idaho to Wayne Neff and Olive Ness Betteridge Smart. He had many happy memories of an idyllic childhood in Rexburg. While attending Madison High School, David was elected student body President and was the Idaho State Champion of Speech and Debate. After high school, David enlisted in the United States Army and attended intelligence school at Fort Holabird, Maryland. Upon separation from the Army, David completed two years at Ricks College, where he was elected student body Vice President.
In October 1959 David left on a two-and-a- half year mission to North Germany. He was there when the Berlin wall was erected overnight dividing the two sections of the city. David was especially happy and proud when his son, John was called to the same mission and was in Berlin in 1989 when the Berlin wall came down. David's mission to Germany began a life-long love of Germany, the German people, and language. David assiduously kept up his German, reading German newspapers, novels, and poetry.
David entered Brigham Young University and earned a B.A. in Psychology and German. He then went on to the Univ of Utah where he earned his Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology. While doing research for his doctoral dissertation, he was assigned an undergraduate research assistant named Julie Christine Fishler. David was smitten by her beauty and intelligence and they were married in the Salt Lake City temple on June 23, 1967.
David began his professional career at the Univ of Northern Colorado in Greeley where he was the Director of the Counseling Center, a faculty member, and an Assistant to the University President. While at UNC, he earned the highest academic rank of full professor and achieved tenure. His church service as an elders' quorum president, high counselor and bishop and his missionary efforts helped grow the nascent church in Greeley and Northern Colorado.
David continued his career at Brigham Young University where he was the Associate Director of the Counseling Center, had full academic rank and tenure and also served as Associate Director of Assessment. He helped hundreds of clients and mentored many doctoral students. He was known for his caring, sensitive, and research-based counseling that truly improved the lives of hundreds of people. He was honored as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
One highlight of David's career was the opportunity to professionally collaborate with his wife, who also earned her PhD and distinguished herself in her career. David and Julie have co-authored many articles in academic scholarly journals together.
In retirement, David and Julie served an LDS mission as Area Mental Health authorities at Western Europe headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. He and Julie counseled missionaries and advised mission presidents on mental health issues. His hobbies in retirement included coin collecting, gardening, golfing, travel, and reading.
Of all the accolades that we can give Dad, truly the best are in his supernal roles as husband, father, and grandfather. He loved being a father and worked hard so that Mom could stay home with us during our childhood. He loved fun, family, and making memories together. Some of our best memories with Dad include being together at Christmas and at the Bear Lake house in the summer. His children and grandchildren were a source of happiness, pride, and joy for Dad. He was unfailingly loving, patient, and supportive in ways that were individual to each of us. He taught us by example to be open minded, informed about the world, accepting of others, and faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
David is survived by his wife Julie C. Fishler, children John (Elizabeth), Margaret (Russell) Teichert, Elizabeth (Matthew) Smith, Dr. Mary Smart and ten grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Dean (Carolyn) and sister Carol (Erwin) Oertli, brother-in-law Phillip Fishler (Judy) and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Wayne and Olive Smart.
A viewing will be held on Friday, November 30 at the Draper 6th ward chapel at 1272 E. Walden Lane, Draper from 6-8 pm. Another viewing will be held on Saturday, December 1 from 9:30-10:45 am with funeral services following at 11 am also at the Draper 6th ward chapel. David will be interred at Granite Cemetery in Granite, Utah.
I was a graduate student at the University of Northern Colorado (then called Colorado State College) in the early 1970s. Dr. Smart was my professor for a number of counseling classes. He was also a faculty advisor for a new student support service, a telephone crisis counseling center named SLYB (Somebody Loves You, Baby). I was a volunteer for the program and then a trainer of volunteers. Dr. Smart told me about a Fellowship Program with the Suicide Studies Unit of the National Institute of Mental Health in Washington, D.C. I applied for the program (accompanied by a very complimentary and persuasive letter of recommendation from him. I was awarded the Fellowship, it piqued my interest in suicidology, and has remained a passion of mine for my 45 year (so far) career as a psychologist. Thank you, Dr. Smart for your tutelage, caring, and brilliance.
Hal Goldberg
Denver, Colorado
