Elwood was born June 24, 1917 in Milford, New Haven, Connecticut. He is the first of three children and was named after my father, Elwood Winthrop Smith.

He was baptized June 9, 1918 in the First Congressional Church and promoted to the Primary Department September, 1923, at the Cameron Methodist Church in Milford, Connecticut. 

Our parents, because of my father's severe asthma, wanted to move to Arizona to a drier climate, but when they reached Denver, Colorado, my father felt so good and he had no symptoms of his asthma, so he decided to stay in Colorado. Elwood was two-years-old at the time.

He started school in the Washington Park Elementary School. He was a Boy Scout and earned many badges. He also received his Eagle Scout Award.

He liked to carve airplanes from kits, and he had them hanging from his ceiling in his bedroom. He also had a crystal radio set and earphones, and he was always trying to get different stations.

Denver has two amusement parks, Elitch Garden and Lakeside Park. Like all teenagers, he and his friends would take in all the rides. He also took dates to Elitch Gardens. At one time, he and his date won a waltz contest.

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Elwood, my brother , came and stayed with me and I took him sighting around, we hiked up Timpanogos peak, Art Museums and Salt Lake Temple Square, Bird Sanctuary above Salt Lake, and many other places.  I also introduced him to Square Dancing and also introduced him to Leone Peterson whom he finally married.  Leone belonged to the LDS Church but he never did.

​My thoughts about Elwood were that he was one of the kindest, well poised men I ever met. He was soft-spoken, and though I knew little about him when he first came to Utah, I quickly took a liking to him because of his good humor and common sense attitude. He was fun, yet quiet and composed.  

He fit in our family instantly, and we loved having him join with us in any activities we were involved in.

My understanding of him was that he worked back east and he and his wife did not have any children. But the way he interacted with my children and Elaine made me instantly like him. He was kind and thoughtful and often had surprises for the children, small gifts or considerate gestures. He had a love for birds and was interested in beautiful things.

I will always remember and cherish the short time we had getting to know and interact with Elwood. What a treat.

​Mathew Stucki