Douglas H. Smith served in the Quorums of the Seventy until he was granted emeritus status in 1992. He worked for many well-known Utah companies in various positions, including serving as president of Beneficial Life Insurance Company, as chairman of the board of directors of LDS Hospital, and as a member of the board of directors of Zion's First National Bank. He was also vice chairman and executive vice president of the Boy Scouts of America and was vice chairman and executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation.

Elder Smith passed away in 2009. He and his wife, Barbara, had seven children, thirty-nine grandchildren, and seventy-eight great-grandchildren.