Background - My Father, David Bills Smith . . .

[Note: In 1965, I was adopted by my father David's older brother Harry. When I talk of my mom and dad, I am talking about Harry and Viola Smith. When I refer to my birth parents, I call them my mother and father.] Harry Havelock Smith and Venice Orlena Bills Smith were excitedly looking forward to the birth of their third child, however, this pregnancy with was a very stressful time. Their oldest son Harry developed polio and was very sick for an extended period. Thankfully Grandpa's niece, Lucille Stanford, was available to come and care for young Harry throughout the ordeal. With her desperately ill son under strict quarantine, Grandma could only visit occasionally looking through the window of the one room cabin Lucille and Harry lived in. In order to protect the life that grew within her, a young mother had to be cut off from caring for her oldest son who fought for life. Young Harry was restored to health and David Bills Smith was born 9 September, 1934 in Sweetgrass, Montana.

Venice Orlena Bills Smith and her son David

Brothers Harry, David and Neil Smith

This third son was active and bright. Family members tell of how difficult it was to keep an eye on the busy toddler. There were times of anxiety when the whole town searched for the boy who could disappear in an instant. Grandma told of a specific incident when the family had a dairy farm. David had seemingly vanished into thin air. Many from the small community frantically searched. Some time later, they found him sound asleep hidden amid  the loaded milk cans in a delivery cart.

Without the protection of a fenced yard and entirely without fear, David could be gone and in great danger in a quick moment. Ingenuity was employed as Grandpa and Grandma rigged up a halter for their toddler and had it fastened to a pulley clothesline. This gave him freedom to explore and yet tethered him safely at home.

Visiting Cousins in Stavely, Alberta 1938: In Front Left to Right - Bernice & June Orr, Lois Rogers, David Bills Smith, Thelma Libbert with Jessie Stanford in back holding Helen Rogers.

My brother Dale (from my adoptive family) remembers our dad Harry telling him of times when David as a young child was asleep on the floor of the office with his mother busy at work. I find this not so different from other families who struggle to make ends meet or get a business going. The truth of the matter is that all good moms and dads do the best they can to meet their children's needs. I also know that in spite of the love Grandma and Grandpa had for their youngest son, David was a handful from the time he was born.

Grade 2 - David is in front 2nd from the left

David in the center with his cousins Ted, Shirley and Keith Smith

David (on right) with a friend

My grandparents Custom's Brokerage business had offices in Kingsgate B.C. and Calgary, Alberta as well as in Coutts. When I was young, I went on a trip to Calgary with my Grandma. She had a studio apartment above the office in which she stayed while attending business there. Once the brokerage was purchased, both Grandpa and Grandma worked hard to make it work. Finally they would have success in providing for their family. However, Grandma was often gone from Coutts while Grandpa remained at home to manage the head office on the border. Teenage David of necessity due to school, remained home with his dad.

David Bills Smith

David and Shirley Doreen Coover became young sweethearts and seemed to rely on each another early on. A close friend of my mother Shirley reports "David and Shirley had too much time on their hands and perhaps too little supervision during the critical years of their youth." She remembers they would often skip school together with the parents being unaware they were off on their own. Shirley was being raised by her paternal grandmother and her alcoholic father. Her mother had deserted her and her father when she was a toddler.

David with his mother and father Venice and Havelock Smith

I have the sense that Grandpa and Grandma Smith were often confronted with overwhelming difficulties raising David. As a teenager he was willful and difficult to reign in. They worried about what they felt was too deep of a connection for David and Shirley while they were so young. In an effort to intercede in a positive way, they sent their son to live with family in Utah where he was enrolled at BYU High School. They had hopes this opportunity would give him time to grow up a bit more. David attended school in Provo for almost two full school years but before the two years with him returning to Coutts for holidays and summer vacation. Before his 2nd school year was complete, David called home to say he was done and would not finish. Grandpa pleaded with him to reconsider and told him he and his brother Harry would immediately be on their way to see him. Before Grandpa and Harry reached Provo, David had already arrived back in Coutts He had hitch-hiked the 750 miles home.

David and Shirley were married May 9, 1952, very soon following his return to Coutts. I was born October 19, 1952.

David Bills Smith