Dorothy Jean Smith

Local well-known artist and lifetime resident, Dorothy Jean Danquist Smith, age 89, passed away at sunrise on April 26, 2016. She fought valiantly and courageously against cancer over a brief two-month period. Funeral services are planned to celebrate Dorothy's life on Saturday, May 7 at 11:00 AM at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bonners Ferry. Dorothy was born on July 3, 1926 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to Walter Ludwig Danquist and Anna Elizabeth (Streit) Danquist. Along with her sister Hazel, she grew up in the Copeland area where her father worked as a fire lookout for the U.S. Forest Service. She attended Copeland Grade School through eighth grade. The family moved to town and Dorothy later graduated from Bonners Ferry High School in 1944 as salutatorian. After high school she worked briefly in the Boundary County Treasurer’s Office, then attended the University of Idaho for two years to study art and design. At the encouragement of her art professor, she studied at the prestigious California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, to further enhance her art career. On October 23, 1948, Dorothy married Hollice John “Hollie” Smith in Bonners Ferry. They enjoyed 50 years of marriage and lived in Bonners Ferry their entire lives. While raising four children, Dorothy also worked at the Bank of Idaho and as a legal secretary at the Nixon and Nixon Law Office. In 1967 she and her dear friend, Dorothy Thompson, opened the Towne Shoppe, a retail dress boutique in downtown Bonners Ferry. Most important to Dorothy was spending time with her family and friends. She loved being with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. No matter the occasion, she always wanted everyone to be together, as family was the center of her life. Dorothy was that rare spark of life whose youthful free spirit and energy made for many fun times and a sense of curiosity and adventure. As an artist, her exuberant painting style reflected her passion for life and her creativity was visible in everything she did. An accomplished artist, Dorothy loved to paint in oils and watercolor and would often go to her favorite areas in the county to paint on location: the Westside, Round Prairie, the Moyie River and Dawson Lake. She has won awards in juried art competitions and exhibited her artwork in galleries and art shows throughout the Northwest. Many friends, acquaintances and collectors proudly display her paintings in their personal collections. A very prolific painter, Dorothy would often be asked how long it takes to do a painting. She would say “it takes a lifetime” because each work of art was the result of a lifetime of experiences and artistic development. Dorothy also enjoyed cooking, gardening, making jams, jellies and pickles, sewing, knitting, collecting antiques and camping on the Moyie River at the family cabin. She had a special fondness for the Round Prairie area where her grandparents Wilhelmina and Fritz Danquist homesteaded in 1900. She and her sister Hazel spent many happy times there with aunts, uncles and cousins when growing up. The homestead was a place she continued to visit often. Dorothy was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary, Trinity Lutheran Church, the Bonners Ferry Art Club, a 64-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary and P.E.O. Chapter AP since 1969. She especially enjoyed the Art Critique Group over the years and its close circle of friends. She leaves behind a loving family who cherished her and found inspiration in all that she did. Those who remain to lovingly remember her are sister Hazel Pharris and husband Earl of Cozad, NE; brother-in-law Wilfred Smith and wife Pat of Sumner, WA; daughter Debbie Wombacher and husband Ken of Pleasant Hill, CA; son Hollie Smith and wife Christina of Spokane, WA; daughter Kelly Wilson and husband Tim of Bonners Ferry, ID; daughter Lisa Shelton and husband Tony of Bonners Ferry, ID; grandchildren Joseph Wombacher and wife Jill, Kelly Wombacher, Osa Orison, Winter Orison, MacKenzie Smith, Hollice Connor Smith, Zena Shelton, Sadie Shelton and Ellia Shelton; great grandchildren Brandon, Dylan and Lucas Wombacher. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Hollie; infant daughter Elizabeth Frances; and her mother and father Walter and Elizabeth Danquist. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in honor of Dorothy at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the following address: www.StJude-DorothySmith.org or may be sent to the Shriner’s Hospital For Children, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane, WA. 99204.