SharaLee Jeppsen Harrison
April 2, 1938 ~ Dec. 7, 2019
SharaLee Jeppsen Harrison, our devoted mother, left this life at age 81 on Dec. 7, 2019, in Logan, Utah. She was born April 2, 1938, in Brigham City, Utah, the only child of Edna Poulsen Jeppsen and Martello Frederick Jeppsen.
She was a devoted daughter, mother, grandmother, musician, homemaker, gardener, and friend to many.
Her childhood was spent in Brigham City and Corrine, Utah. She attended Box Elder High School and then went on to Brigham Young University where she met Russell David Harrison from Whittier, California, (preceded in death January 2019). They worked together in the audiovisual department, rewinding and delivering film reels to professors on campus.
They began their courtship with the ROTC Ball and were married in the Logan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 10, 1958.
David’s commission as a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force soon led SharaLee on a tour of United States far from her Utah home and her mother. But before they left, they became parents of a daughter, Leesa Ann (Hamblin), who began the journey with them.
The Air Force moved them to Florida, Nebraska (where Paul David, Angela (Stone), and Charles Martin were born), Montana (where Heidi Lee (Wolfe), and David Lorenzo joined the family), California (where Christopher Michael was born), Alabama (where Julianne (Clawson), and Amy Sue (Veer) were born), and California once again (birth place of Mylinda Esther(Mortensen)). In Colorado, SharaLee and David became grandparents for the first time. They returned to Utah when David retired, finally living near SharaLee’s mother.
SharaLee was an accomplished pianist and organist, accompanying choirs and soloists, leading choirs, and writing original music.
She loved homemaking and gardening and nature. In California, she brought her children to the nearby beach to share her love of the treasures of the sea. In Alabama, her joy was in her big turn-of-the-century home that she lovingly restored with David.
In Brigham City she found joy in the view of the mountains from the balcony of her second turn-of-the-century home, again, lovingly remodeled. Her garden was also her delight, and where her family and friends knew they could find sugar-snap peas, tomatoes, peaches, apricots, apples, roses, and her.
She found joy and long lasting friendship serving and worshiping in the LDS Church. When their children had all left the home, SharaLee and David served a mission to Leon, Spain (2000), and VaVa’u, Tonga (2006). They kept their Spanish and Tongan friendships close to their hearts.
In 2017, SharaLee and David were welcomed into their daughter, Angela Stone’s, home in Smithfield, Utah, where SharaLee continued to share her music and love for her family.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. A viewing will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 East, Brigham City.
Private Interment in the Smithfield, Utah, cemetery.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.myeres-mortuary.com.
Darlene LaVerne Dennis Hadfield
Our dear sweet wife, mother, and grandmother, Darlene, was called home on Dec. 7, 2019.
She was born Jan. 8, 1938, in Fruita, Colorado, the daughter of Hazel Bernice Martin and Percy LeRoy Dennis. Darlene was the youngest of her half siblings, Donald Ray Simmons and Phyllis Marie Dennis.
Every year as she was growing up her family moved to a different state. She was thrilled when they finally settled down in Brigham City where she attended Box Elder High School, and from where she graduated in 1955.
Darlene met the love of her life on a blind date to see the play, “South Pacific.” Reed Warburton Hadfield and Darlene were married on Dec. 19, 1955, in the Logan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was an exceptionally supportive wife; standing by his side throughout both his career and church service. She worked as the bookkeeper for his business at Mann, Hadfield and Thorne Law Offices.
Darlene was a faithful member of the LDS Church. She was dedicated to the Lord and served in various callings including as Relief Society president, Young Women’s president, and Primary chorister, to name a few. She and her husband served as temple workers in the Ogden Temple and as full-time missionaries in Boston, Massachusetts.
Darlene enjoyed camping, being outdoors, traveling and playing tennis. Family was her biggest priority, she always put the grandchildren first, spoiling them every opportunity she could. She was so unconditional with her love, so genuinely concerned about other people regardless of what was going on in her own life. She loved being with family, and really “knocked herself out” for family gatherings. She had a way of making the holidays truly special for her family and will be dearly missed this Christmas.
Darlene was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Tamra Ann Hadfield; and two infant grandchildren, Jacob Reed Tittensor and Chad Kenneth Bailey.
She is survived by her husband Reed; children: Jeri (Kirk) Bailey, Stephen (Ann) Hadfield, Kristen (Ross) Carter, and Heidi (Rod) Johnson; 23 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held Monday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Brigham City LDS 13th Ward building, 25 N. 300 East.
Viewings will be held on Sunday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 East, Brigham Cit,y and on Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
Interment in the Brigham City Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.
Francisca Gonzalez Hernandez
Francis Hernandez (Panchita), 80, formally of Box Elder County, Utah, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Kingsland, Texas.
She was born Sept. 8, 1939, in Laredo, Texas, to Oswaldo Sr. and Guadalupe Martinez Gonzalez. Panchita grew up in the fields, in a family of migrant workers. She was proud of where she came from, she knew her roots and had no shame saying she had no education. “I can read and I can write and that’s all that matters.”
Beginning in 1952, her family would travel and follow the harvest from Laredo, Texas, through the states to Idaho for the potato season. Upon heading back to Texas, they would stop in Phoenix, Arizona, for the cotton harvest, and arrive in Texas sometime in February to start the process all over again. During those 15 years of traveling she met many life-long friends. The stories she’d tell about growing up in the fields and traveling was something you’d read in a book or see in a movie, or as she would say “her life was like a novela, pero una de las buenas.”
In 1967, the Gonzalez family decided to make Brigham City, Utah, their home and in 1969, she was excited to land her first job outside of the fields, at Brigham Apparel.
On July 30, 1977, in Elko, Nevada, she married the love of her life, Pedro Antonio Hernandez (Toño). They had five children: Mario, Anna, Pedro A. (Eddie), Sandra and Nina, who she says were the reason for her canas.
After living 34 years away from Texas, in August of 2001, she decided it was time to move her family back to where her roots where, settling in Burnet, Texas.
“I may have never had much money, but the places I was able to see while we were on the road was beautiful, I’d close my eyes and just pretend.” She’d say. She knew the road from Texas to Utah like the back of her hand and never needed a map, if your GPS would take you to a wrong turn, call Panchita. “Describe the area. Okay, you need to turn around and go back a bit and when you see a white horse, turn left. You just keep going a long ways then your next turn will be when you see a little casita que tiene…..” she’d say. It was never, “go five miles till you hit this road then turn east.”
Panchita had many talents. She enjoyed cooking—her venison tamales were to die for. She loved to sew and do bead work, and loved making things for family and could sew anything—many times without even needing a pattern. She sewed all the dresses for the damas for her kids’ quinceañera. It melted her heart to know that she had a granddaughter that would carry on her talents. She would often say, “Me siento muy feliz porque tengo una nieta que me llama para preguntarme cómo coser este pedaso o cualquiera.”
She loved to camp and when everyone would be hunting she’d stay back at camp setting up everything to process the game. She enjoyed crossword puzzles and word searches, watching novelas and loved to listen to her husband play the bajo and sing to her. She would twirl around in her kitchen and pretend she was with her cousins at the Casa Blanca.
She’d often say besides spending time with her husband, she enjoyed watching her grandkids grow up; she loved it when the Moreno boys lived with her. She wanted them to know that she knew about everything they had Toño do for them.
It would make her smile when she’d see her older granddaughters running and playing with the neighbors, and then not 10 minutes later, someone was crying. “Las mujeres son lloronas,” she’d say.
Her younger grandkids were smaller versions of her kids all over again, “balgame.” Even though she didn’t get to see all of her grandkids and great-grandkids, she loved them all and prayed for them always. She loved all her family, she loved her siblings very much and was grateful for phones because as she got older she didn’t like going out much, but was still able to talk to her brothers and sisters everyday.
Panchita wanted to thank everyone who made it to her 80th birthday; friends and family she hadn’t seen in many moons, and to thank Bell and her family for making it happen.
Panchita is survived by her children: Mario Navarro, Brigham City, Utah; Pedro A. (Mary) Hernandez, Marble Falls, Texas; Anna Arredondo, Sandra Cervantez and Nina Hernandez all of Burnet, Texas; two brothers, Homar Sr. (Criselda) Gonzalez, Burnet, Texas; and Raul Sr. (Paulina) Gonzalez, Goodyear, Arizona; four sisters: Ernestina Gusman, Guadalupe (Domingo) Rodriguez, San Juana Fane (Lorenzo) Romero, and Griselda Valdez, all of Burnet, Texas; sister-in-law, Rosa Gonzalez, Perry, Utah; 10 grandchildren: Erik, Rayna, Lionel, Isabell, Michael, Elizabeth, Cassandra, Francis, Christian and Andres; 14 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is proceeded in dead by her parents; husband, Pedro Antonio Hernandez; a brother, Oswaldo Gonzalez Jr.; son-in-law, Domingo Arredondo Jr.; and two brothers-in-law, Mauro Gusman Sr. and Enrique Valdez Sr.
Her family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the staff of Kingsland Hills Care Center. And a special thanks to Cassandra for being at her grandma’s side more than ever these last few months.
Services under the care of Jenkins Funeral Home Burnet, Texas. www.jenkinsfunerals.life/notices/Francisca-Hernandez.
Larry Koford
Larry Ray Koford passed away Dec. 8, 2019.
He was born in Tremonton, Utah, the youngest child of Arthur and Edna Koford.
Larry enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was fortunate enough to be able to travel around the world. He came back to Utah in 1981 and spent most of his life in Brigham City.
He and his wife, Janet, were married in 1959 and enjoyed 60 years together as husband and wife.
Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing, working in his yard and riding on 3-wheelers. He had a wicked sense of humor and everyone was a target on his radar.
He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and his best friend, Jim Forsgren.
He is survived by his wife Janet; children: Kelly (Bill) Payton, Tammy (Kevin) Crabb, and Julie (Bob) Beeson; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; numerous furry grandchildren; and his beloved pets.
Per Larry’s wishes there will be no funeral or viewing.
A celebration of his life will be held in late January at the Koford home.
The family wishes to thank the great staff at Ogden Regional Medical Center for their care.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Primary Children’s Hospital or the Humane Society of Northern Utah.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.
Ruth Nelson
Ruth Nelson, 85, of Honeyville, Utah, passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at the Gables Assisted Living in Brigham City, with her sister, Elaine, by her side.
Ruth was born Sept. 12, 1934, on the family farm in Tucson, Arizona, the 9th of 12 children, to Thomas George and Alice Kimball Nelson.
After her childhood and schooling in Tucson, she attended Eastern Arizona Junior College in Thatcher, Arizona. She then went to Brigham Young University, and from where she graduated in 1958.
She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas from 1960 to 1962, then moved to Utah, where she lived in Tremonton and taught in the Fielding School for nine years. She then moved to Barstow, California, where she taught in the school system for seven years.
In 1979 Ruth moved to Brigham City, where she got a job at Pioneer Care Center to be able to help care for her father who was recuperating from surgery. Later, after his death, she continued working there, eventually moving to Honeyville where she rented, then purchased a home.
Ruth was very dedicated and diligent in any job she was asked to do, from school teacher to nurse’s aid, to missionary, to librarian, to doing extraction work in the German language for the LDS Church for 30 years.
During the years she worked at Pioneer Care Center, Ruth and Deon Roderick met and eventually fell in love. They got engaged and made plans to be married in the Ogden LDS Temple. Two weeks before the wedding, Deon died unexpectedly. His family asked Ruth to sing at his funeral. She had a beautiful alto voice. It was a very difficult time for her. Their short time together had been so happy and so special.
In 2005, Ruth took in an older brother and cared for him for several years until her health failed. She lived in her home until five years ago, when she had a serious accident and was sent to live in a care center to recuperate. While there she had another serious accident and since recuperating from that she has resided at the Gables Assisted Living. A special thanks to all those there for their special care-giving and love.
Ruth has two remaining sisters in Honeyville, Ann Taylor and Elaine Tolman, and two brothers in Arizona, Dean Nelson and Delbert Nelson.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. at the Honeyville LDS Ward building, 2620 W. 6980 North.
A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:40 a.m. at the church prior to the services on Thursday.
Interment will be in the Thatcher Cemetery in Thatcher, Arizona, where she will be buried next to her parents. Graveside services will be at noon on Saturday, Dec. 14.
Send condolences to www.gfc-utah.com.
Funeral Services Entrusted to Gillies Funeral Chapel, Brigham City, Utah.
April 2, 1938 ~ Dec. 7, 2019
SharaLee Jeppsen Harrison, our devoted mother, left this life at age 81 on Dec. 7, 2019, in Logan, Utah. She was born April 2, 1938, in Brigham City, Utah, the only child of Edna Poulsen Jeppsen and Martello Frederick Jeppsen.
She was a devoted daughter, mother, grandmother, musician, homemaker, gardener, and friend to many.
Her childhood was spent in Brigham City and Corrine, Utah. She attended Box Elder High School and then went on to Brigham Young University where she met Russell David Harrison from Whittier, California, (preceded in death January 2019). They worked together in the audiovisual department, rewinding and delivering film reels to professors on campus.
They began their courtship with the ROTC Ball and were married in the Logan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 10, 1958.
David’s commission as a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force soon led SharaLee on a tour of United States far from her Utah home and her mother. But before they left, they became parents of a daughter, Leesa Ann (Hamblin), who began the journey with them.
The Air Force moved them to Florida, Nebraska (where Paul David, Angela (Stone), and Charles Martin were born), Montana (where Heidi Lee (Wolfe), and David Lorenzo joined the family), California (where Christopher Michael was born), Alabama (where Julianne (Clawson), and Amy Sue (Veer) were born), and California once again (birth place of Mylinda Esther(Mortensen)). In Colorado, SharaLee and David became grandparents for the first time. They returned to Utah when David retired, finally living near SharaLee’s mother.
SharaLee was an accomplished pianist and organist, accompanying choirs and soloists, leading choirs, and writing original music.
She loved homemaking and gardening and nature. In California, she brought her children to the nearby beach to share her love of the treasures of the sea. In Alabama, her joy was in her big turn-of-the-century home that she lovingly restored with David.
In Brigham City she found joy in the view of the mountains from the balcony of her second turn-of-the-century home, again, lovingly remodeled. Her garden was also her delight, and where her family and friends knew they could find sugar-snap peas, tomatoes, peaches, apricots, apples, roses, and her.
She found joy and long lasting friendship serving and worshiping in the LDS Church. When their children had all left the home, SharaLee and David served a mission to Leon, Spain (2000), and VaVa’u, Tonga (2006). They kept their Spanish and Tongan friendships close to their hearts.
In 2017, SharaLee and David were welcomed into their daughter, Angela Stone’s, home in Smithfield, Utah, where SharaLee continued to share her music and love for her family.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. A viewing will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 East, Brigham City.
Private Interment in the Smithfield, Utah, cemetery.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.myeres-mortuary.com.
Darlene LaVerne Dennis Hadfield
Our dear sweet wife, mother, and grandmother, Darlene, was called home on Dec. 7, 2019.
She was born Jan. 8, 1938, in Fruita, Colorado, the daughter of Hazel Bernice Martin and Percy LeRoy Dennis. Darlene was the youngest of her half siblings, Donald Ray Simmons and Phyllis Marie Dennis.
Every year as she was growing up her family moved to a different state. She was thrilled when they finally settled down in Brigham City where she attended Box Elder High School, and from where she graduated in 1955.
Darlene met the love of her life on a blind date to see the play, “South Pacific.” Reed Warburton Hadfield and Darlene were married on Dec. 19, 1955, in the Logan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was an exceptionally supportive wife; standing by his side throughout both his career and church service. She worked as the bookkeeper for his business at Mann, Hadfield and Thorne Law Offices.
Darlene was a faithful member of the LDS Church. She was dedicated to the Lord and served in various callings including as Relief Society president, Young Women’s president, and Primary chorister, to name a few. She and her husband served as temple workers in the Ogden Temple and as full-time missionaries in Boston, Massachusetts.
Darlene enjoyed camping, being outdoors, traveling and playing tennis. Family was her biggest priority, she always put the grandchildren first, spoiling them every opportunity she could. She was so unconditional with her love, so genuinely concerned about other people regardless of what was going on in her own life. She loved being with family, and really “knocked herself out” for family gatherings. She had a way of making the holidays truly special for her family and will be dearly missed this Christmas.
Darlene was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Tamra Ann Hadfield; and two infant grandchildren, Jacob Reed Tittensor and Chad Kenneth Bailey.
She is survived by her husband Reed; children: Jeri (Kirk) Bailey, Stephen (Ann) Hadfield, Kristen (Ross) Carter, and Heidi (Rod) Johnson; 23 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held Monday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Brigham City LDS 13th Ward building, 25 N. 300 East.
Viewings will be held on Sunday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 East, Brigham Cit,y and on Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
Interment in the Brigham City Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.
Francisca Gonzalez Hernandez
Francis Hernandez (Panchita), 80, formally of Box Elder County, Utah, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Kingsland, Texas.
She was born Sept. 8, 1939, in Laredo, Texas, to Oswaldo Sr. and Guadalupe Martinez Gonzalez. Panchita grew up in the fields, in a family of migrant workers. She was proud of where she came from, she knew her roots and had no shame saying she had no education. “I can read and I can write and that’s all that matters.”
Beginning in 1952, her family would travel and follow the harvest from Laredo, Texas, through the states to Idaho for the potato season. Upon heading back to Texas, they would stop in Phoenix, Arizona, for the cotton harvest, and arrive in Texas sometime in February to start the process all over again. During those 15 years of traveling she met many life-long friends. The stories she’d tell about growing up in the fields and traveling was something you’d read in a book or see in a movie, or as she would say “her life was like a novela, pero una de las buenas.”
In 1967, the Gonzalez family decided to make Brigham City, Utah, their home and in 1969, she was excited to land her first job outside of the fields, at Brigham Apparel.
On July 30, 1977, in Elko, Nevada, she married the love of her life, Pedro Antonio Hernandez (Toño). They had five children: Mario, Anna, Pedro A. (Eddie), Sandra and Nina, who she says were the reason for her canas.
After living 34 years away from Texas, in August of 2001, she decided it was time to move her family back to where her roots where, settling in Burnet, Texas.
“I may have never had much money, but the places I was able to see while we were on the road was beautiful, I’d close my eyes and just pretend.” She’d say. She knew the road from Texas to Utah like the back of her hand and never needed a map, if your GPS would take you to a wrong turn, call Panchita. “Describe the area. Okay, you need to turn around and go back a bit and when you see a white horse, turn left. You just keep going a long ways then your next turn will be when you see a little casita que tiene…..” she’d say. It was never, “go five miles till you hit this road then turn east.”
Panchita had many talents. She enjoyed cooking—her venison tamales were to die for. She loved to sew and do bead work, and loved making things for family and could sew anything—many times without even needing a pattern. She sewed all the dresses for the damas for her kids’ quinceañera. It melted her heart to know that she had a granddaughter that would carry on her talents. She would often say, “Me siento muy feliz porque tengo una nieta que me llama para preguntarme cómo coser este pedaso o cualquiera.”
She loved to camp and when everyone would be hunting she’d stay back at camp setting up everything to process the game. She enjoyed crossword puzzles and word searches, watching novelas and loved to listen to her husband play the bajo and sing to her. She would twirl around in her kitchen and pretend she was with her cousins at the Casa Blanca.
She’d often say besides spending time with her husband, she enjoyed watching her grandkids grow up; she loved it when the Moreno boys lived with her. She wanted them to know that she knew about everything they had Toño do for them.
It would make her smile when she’d see her older granddaughters running and playing with the neighbors, and then not 10 minutes later, someone was crying. “Las mujeres son lloronas,” she’d say.
Her younger grandkids were smaller versions of her kids all over again, “balgame.” Even though she didn’t get to see all of her grandkids and great-grandkids, she loved them all and prayed for them always. She loved all her family, she loved her siblings very much and was grateful for phones because as she got older she didn’t like going out much, but was still able to talk to her brothers and sisters everyday.
Panchita wanted to thank everyone who made it to her 80th birthday; friends and family she hadn’t seen in many moons, and to thank Bell and her family for making it happen.
Panchita is survived by her children: Mario Navarro, Brigham City, Utah; Pedro A. (Mary) Hernandez, Marble Falls, Texas; Anna Arredondo, Sandra Cervantez and Nina Hernandez all of Burnet, Texas; two brothers, Homar Sr. (Criselda) Gonzalez, Burnet, Texas; and Raul Sr. (Paulina) Gonzalez, Goodyear, Arizona; four sisters: Ernestina Gusman, Guadalupe (Domingo) Rodriguez, San Juana Fane (Lorenzo) Romero, and Griselda Valdez, all of Burnet, Texas; sister-in-law, Rosa Gonzalez, Perry, Utah; 10 grandchildren: Erik, Rayna, Lionel, Isabell, Michael, Elizabeth, Cassandra, Francis, Christian and Andres; 14 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is proceeded in dead by her parents; husband, Pedro Antonio Hernandez; a brother, Oswaldo Gonzalez Jr.; son-in-law, Domingo Arredondo Jr.; and two brothers-in-law, Mauro Gusman Sr. and Enrique Valdez Sr.
Her family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the staff of Kingsland Hills Care Center. And a special thanks to Cassandra for being at her grandma’s side more than ever these last few months.
Services under the care of Jenkins Funeral Home Burnet, Texas. www.jenkinsfunerals.life/notices/Francisca-Hernandez.
Larry Koford
Larry Ray Koford passed away Dec. 8, 2019.
He was born in Tremonton, Utah, the youngest child of Arthur and Edna Koford.
Larry enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was fortunate enough to be able to travel around the world. He came back to Utah in 1981 and spent most of his life in Brigham City.
He and his wife, Janet, were married in 1959 and enjoyed 60 years together as husband and wife.
Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing, working in his yard and riding on 3-wheelers. He had a wicked sense of humor and everyone was a target on his radar.
He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and his best friend, Jim Forsgren.
He is survived by his wife Janet; children: Kelly (Bill) Payton, Tammy (Kevin) Crabb, and Julie (Bob) Beeson; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; numerous furry grandchildren; and his beloved pets.
Per Larry’s wishes there will be no funeral or viewing.
A celebration of his life will be held in late January at the Koford home.
The family wishes to thank the great staff at Ogden Regional Medical Center for their care.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Primary Children’s Hospital or the Humane Society of Northern Utah.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.
Ruth Nelson
Ruth Nelson, 85, of Honeyville, Utah, passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at the Gables Assisted Living in Brigham City, with her sister, Elaine, by her side.
Ruth was born Sept. 12, 1934, on the family farm in Tucson, Arizona, the 9th of 12 children, to Thomas George and Alice Kimball Nelson.
After her childhood and schooling in Tucson, she attended Eastern Arizona Junior College in Thatcher, Arizona. She then went to Brigham Young University, and from where she graduated in 1958.
She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas from 1960 to 1962, then moved to Utah, where she lived in Tremonton and taught in the Fielding School for nine years. She then moved to Barstow, California, where she taught in the school system for seven years.
In 1979 Ruth moved to Brigham City, where she got a job at Pioneer Care Center to be able to help care for her father who was recuperating from surgery. Later, after his death, she continued working there, eventually moving to Honeyville where she rented, then purchased a home.
Ruth was very dedicated and diligent in any job she was asked to do, from school teacher to nurse’s aid, to missionary, to librarian, to doing extraction work in the German language for the LDS Church for 30 years.
During the years she worked at Pioneer Care Center, Ruth and Deon Roderick met and eventually fell in love. They got engaged and made plans to be married in the Ogden LDS Temple. Two weeks before the wedding, Deon died unexpectedly. His family asked Ruth to sing at his funeral. She had a beautiful alto voice. It was a very difficult time for her. Their short time together had been so happy and so special.
In 2005, Ruth took in an older brother and cared for him for several years until her health failed. She lived in her home until five years ago, when she had a serious accident and was sent to live in a care center to recuperate. While there she had another serious accident and since recuperating from that she has resided at the Gables Assisted Living. A special thanks to all those there for their special care-giving and love.
Ruth has two remaining sisters in Honeyville, Ann Taylor and Elaine Tolman, and two brothers in Arizona, Dean Nelson and Delbert Nelson.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. at the Honeyville LDS Ward building, 2620 W. 6980 North.
A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:40 a.m. at the church prior to the services on Thursday.
Interment will be in the Thatcher Cemetery in Thatcher, Arizona, where she will be buried next to her parents. Graveside services will be at noon on Saturday, Dec. 14.
Send condolences to www.gfc-utah.com.
Funeral Services Entrusted to Gillies Funeral Chapel, Brigham City, Utah.
