Sydney Goff

Sydney Smith Goff

1942 ~ 2021

Sydney Smith Goff died at home on May 26, 2021 after a lengthy illness.  She leaves a legacy of well-rounded and happy children and their families.  While we grieve her leaving, our sadness is merely a reflection of the love and happiness we experienced over a lifetime with her.  She will be missed but her mark was indelibly made.

Sydney was born on October 20, 1942 in Murray, Utah, the first child of Don Carlos Smith, Jr., and Ruth Hamilton Smith.  She was raised in modest but comfortable circumstances in Midvale, Utah, graduating from Jordan High School in 1960.  She attended Brigham Young University and earned a B.S. degree in Early Elementary Education, Child Development and Family Relations.  She taught elementary school from 1964 to 1968.

Sydney married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Blaine Albert Goff, on September 17, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She and Blaine spent their early years together in Sandy, Utah before a short residency in Denver and Golden, Colorado.  In 1971, she and Blaine relocated to Kaysville, Utah where she lived the rest of her life.  She and Blaine raised six children in their Kaysville home.  She and Blaine also fostered two children through the LDS Church Indian Placement Program.

In 1984, Sydney entered the Master of Social Work program at the University of Utah.  She graduated in 1986 and began a second career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, working for various agencies and her own private practice, Goff Counseling.  For the next twenty-five years she offered counseling and healing to her clients, many of whom were victims of trauma and abuse.  Her expertise brought her considerable peer recognition and was the source of deep satisfaction for her.  Sydney’s academic and professional accomplishments took place against a backdrop of chronic illness which often limited her participation in day-to-day activities.

Sydney was a life-long member of the LDS Church, serving in the Relief Society, Young Women’s Program, Primary and Sunday School, and a service mission through LDS Family Services Pornography Addiction Program.  She also worked as a temple ordinance worker for three years at the Bountiful LDS temple. Sydney was proud of her Smith heritage, being a direct descendent of Hyrum Smith, the Prophet Joseph's loyal and faithful brother. She had a deep and abiding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sydney doted on her grandchildren and loved buying them gifts for Christmas and their birthdays.  She was a consummate bargain-shopper and often completed her Christmas shopping a year or more in advance.  She was an accomplished pianist and vocalist and sang in numerous choirs, including Utah Voices community choir with her son, Nathan and daughter, Mary Ellen.  Sydney loved animals and lavished care and attention on numerous cats and dogs.  In her later years she spent hours reading, often in the company of her beloved Shi Tzu dogs and her cat, Harley.  She made time for close friends and was always available to them with a listening ear and kind words.

Above all else, Sydney loved her family, children, and grandchildren. Long after leaving home and starting their own families and launching careers, her children returned to her for counsel and comfort.  Sydney generously provided both.  She had a wry wit and would laugh at her own circumstances.  When things went wrong her favorite saying was, “Are we having fun yet?” She encouraged her children to not be hard on themselves, and that good enough was often preferred over better. Her children joked that her favorite philosopher was Mediocrates.

Sydney was preceded in death by her parents and her close friend, Carolyn Jones.  She is survived by her husband, Blaine, her brother Brian Smith (Paula), South Jordan, Utah; her children: Darin (Lani), Cottonwood Heights, Utah;  Nathan (Lesly), Syracuse, Utah; Rachel Berryman (David), Syracuse, Utah; Jared (Eloina), Kaysville, Utah; Mary Ellen Mason (Stephen), Syracuse, Utah; and, Lindsey (Kayleen), Layton, Utah.  She is also survived and fondly remembered by 20 grandchildren:  Austin, Kayla, Rebecca, Carlos, Garrett, Cameron, Caleb, Ethan, Rowan, Conner, Hyrum, Leanna, Emilia, Cristina, Isaac, Jonathon, Emma, Jacob, Ammon, and Abigail.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Kaysville Crestwood Chapel, 1059 Crestwood Rd., Kaysville, Utah.  Friends may visit with family Tuesday, June 1, 2021 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Kaysville Mortuary, 400 N. Main St., Kaysville and Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery.

The family expresses thanks to Martha, Mallory, and Peggy of Everest Hospice who provided care and comfort to Sydney at the end of her life.