Carl James Smart

Carl James Smart (61) passed away unexpectedly on September 6th, 2023 in Pocatello, ID.

Carl was born to Marlow and Barbara Smart on December 30th, 1961, in Preston, ID. He was the fourth out of five children. Carl spent most of his youth in Dayton, ID and had the opportunity to be an exchange student in South Africa for part of his junior and senior years of high school. He then went on to serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Chile. Carl continued his education receiving his MBA from Idaho State University. He spent the majority of his career working for School District 25 in Pocatello, ID. Carl was the Director of Employee Services for the district at the time of his passing, and he developed many meaningful friendships during his time there.

Carl was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. His faith meant a lot to him. He served in many callings throughout the years, however, he spent most of his time working with the young men in his ward. He was a mentor to the boys he worked with, and they fondly nicknamed him “Mamma Bear”.

Carl met the love of his life, Jennifer Tyler, during their time at the university ward in Pocatello, ID. After camping with friends in Redfish, Jen was able to catch Carl’s eye and their relationship grew from there. Carl married Jennifer on May 20, 1994, in the Idaho Falls Temple and they would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this coming May. They spent their married life in Pocatello where they had two sons, Spencer Carl and Tyler Jaxson. Carl loved his boys deeply from his first moments holding them. He fondly enjoyed making memories and spending time with his boys.

Carl had many interests. He loved traveling, gardening, rock hounding, and collecting coins and stamps. His family enjoyed some of these hobbies with him, and you would often find them all on a mountainside somewhere in Idaho.

Carl will be missed by many. He will be remembered for his infectious laugh, heart-warming smile, and dedication to those around him. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Suzanne Hadley, his niece Sabrina Smart, and his nephew Ryan Hadley. He is survived by his loving family, including: his wife, his two sons, and his brothers Steven (Judy), Robert (Sheryl), Kent Hadley (Marsha), and Paul (Victoria).

Please use the following link to view a live stream of the service:

Carl Smart Funeral Service

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