Rawlen Thomas Smith

Feb. 21, 1920 - Sept. 16, 2016  

Rawlen Thomas Smith, of Waianae, Hawaii, died peacefully from the effects of a stroke Sept. 16, 2016, in Kapolei, Honolulu, Hawaii.  He was the first of 10 children, all graduates of Cowley High School, born to Heman Tuttle Smith and Mary Edetha Thomas. He was born  Feb. 21, 1920, in Cowley, in a dirt floor log cabin still standing in Cowley.[caption id="attachment_11734" align="alignright" width="285"] Rawlen Thomas Smith[/caption]Rawlen graduated with honors from both Cowley High School and the University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.  He later became a certified public accountant.Rawlen married his high school sweetheart, Marda Rose Partridge, of Cowley, in Salt Lake City on Dec. 5, 1940. He volunteered and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  Following the war, he founded his own business in 1955 with his brother Fred T. Smith as a brief partner. His business, Special Products Company (SpeeCo), in Golden, Colo., included some family members as employees. Rawlen managed this business to both national and worldwide success with more than 300 employees when he retired to Waianae.He was preceded in death by his parents, both being Cowley pioneers and Big Horn Academy graduates, and four siblings Fred Thomas Smith, Grant Thomas Smith, Rachel Smith Burke and Dean Thomas Smith.Rawlen is survived by his wife Marda, divorced in 1968, daughter Karen Michelle (John Parley George) Smith of Camas, Wash., son Brent Partridge (Ramona Maughan) Smith of Federal Way, Wash., 11 grandchildren and 29 great-grandkids, and siblings Melvin Thomas Smith of St. George, Utah, Clara Smith McDermott of St. George, Blake Thomas Smith of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Ellis Thomas Smith of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Neff Thomas Smith of Albuquerque, N.M.Memorial services were held Sept. 29, 2016, at Olinger Crown Hill Chapel of Peace, Wheat Ridge, Colo.  Rawlen was interred at the Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Colo., with U. S. Navy military honors.