Alma Rigby

Alma returned home to his Heavenly Father on December 16, 2017, at age 70. His was a life well-lived! He left a legacy of faith and love, and a beautiful posterity of 17 grandchildren.

Born in Logan Utah on December 20, 1946 to Alma Bartlett Rigby and Ivonne Jensen Rigby, he attended Ogden and Bountiful High Schools, Utah State University and University of Utah. He served a mission to his beloved Vienna Austria, and the spirit of missionary work never left him.

He was sealed for time and all eternity to Lauralee Wilson on June 18, 1971, which was, according to Alma, "the best decision of my life." His burning testimony of Jesus Christ sustained him in numerous church callings. His most rewarding ones were Seventies' President, Stake Mission President, and High Priest Group Leader. His greatest joy was seeing people receive the blessings of the gospel.

He worked for Zion's Bank, Security Title Company, and the Salt Lake County Recorder's office. He was an avid sports fan, and especially loved baseball. Alma was a devoted husband, and a wonderful, gentle father and "Grampy". He will always be remembered for his supportiveness to his children, and his patience and loving kindness to everyone. He is survived by spouse: Lauralee; children: Brent (Maria) Rigby and family, Wendi (Devin) Shurtleff and family, and Tami (Phillip) Roberts and family. Viewing will be held Thursday, December 21st from 6-8pm at Russon Brothers Mortuary (295 N. Main, Bountiful). The funeral (celebration of life) will be held on Friday December 22nd at 11am in the Orchard 4th Ward building (55 E. 350 N. North Salt Lake, Utah). Preceding the funeral, there will be a viewing from 9:30-10:30am at the same location. Burial will be in the Hooper, Utah Cemetery. Online guestbook available at www.russonmortuary.com

Published in Salt Lake Tribune on Dec. 20, 2017.

Julie Ann Warren

  

Mom passed away quietly surrounded by her family Sunday October 22, 2017. Born on January 1st to J. Harold and Ruth Marie Warren in Logan, Utah, her birthday was celebrated as the first birth in Cache Valley. Among her most treasured possessions was a baby ring that was one of the gifts given by the merchants to the first child born. Since then it has graced the hand of each child and grandchild when they were blessed and named.

Mom graduated from Bountiful High School, and later attended both Utah State University and University of Utah, and remained an Aggie fan. She married L. Brent Piep in January of 1966, and subsequently raised 4 children with him in North Salt Lake.

An active member of the LDS church her whole life, Mom held many positions in the church, but received the most joy and satisfaction working with the Boy Scouts. She mentored many young men as they worked on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, including both sons and 4 grandsons.

In her professional life she worked in a number of different fields from teaching, food catering, insurance processing and the medical field. She found great rewards when she was teaching school, and loved the challenge and adrenalin rush that came with working in the OR at the U of U med center.

Mom was a talented cook and gardener, but managed to work wonders with a needle. She was sought after for her needlework, and a number of finished projects were included in books. Her quilts made for family frequently included needlework blocks as well as the hand quilting; she hand drew the patterns for baby quilts for each of her grandchildren as well as a number of her nieces and nephews. One of her talents her ability to look at a dress, skirt, blouse of shirt in the store and then return home and reproduce them. For many years her children wore the latest fashioned fabricated at home by her hands. In the garden she took great enjoyment in trying to grow plants that would likely not grow for anyone else. The last few years of her life she took pride in giving people gifts of home grown pomegranates she had pick from her tree as she stepped out her front door.

She is survived by her husband, Brent, Children Michael, Norman (Stacy), Teresa (Kevin) and Kristina, Grandchildren, 1 Aunt and 4 sisters, along with many nephews, nieces and close friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother.

Viewing to be held Wednesday October 25, 2017 at the LDS Stake Center at 55 East 350 North, North Salt Lake

Graveside Services will be held Friday October 27, 2017 at the family plot in the Smithfield City Cemetery at 300 East Center.

David Jenkins

David Paul Jenkins Jr. “W7JFH” (signing off) passed away in his home on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 after a brief battle of cancer.

Our dearly loved husband, father, brother and friend, was born July 14, 1947 in Salt Lake City, to David Paul Jenkins and Ruth Beatie Jenkins. David graduated from Bountiful High in 1964, attended Weber State. He was in the Army National Guard; he retired after 35 years in Avionics with United Airlines.

He was a loving husband to his wife; Jane Skrlac Jenkins of 49 years, wonderful father to Tara and John, grandfather to Denver and Skye Newman a loving son to Ruth Jenkins; and brother to Randy Jenkins and Susan Walton Mabey.

His sweet disposition and generous heart made him a favorite to all of his many nieces and nephews, family and friends.

He is survived by: his wife, Jane; his daughter Tara (Dennis); his son, John (Farah); his mother, Ruth; his sister, Susan (Jim); and his brother, Randy (Jill). He is preceded in death by his father, David, and his brother, Corey (Shirley). We will miss him and love him always.

Graveside services will be held for immediate family. See full obituary on Premierfuneral.com.  Published in The Davis Clipper

Vern Christensen

Our beloved husband, brother, father and friend, Vern Pierotti Christensen returned to be with our Heavenly Father on Oct. 3, 2017, surrounded by family and friends.

He was born March 24, 1947, to Vern N and Ruth (Pierotti) Christensen in Bountiful.

Vern was preceded in death by his mother and father. He is survived by his wife of 38 amazing years, Jodene, his step-mother Gayle, his brothers, Charles (Laura) Christensen and Layne (Sue) Christensen, and his sisters Ruth (James) Larsen, Leonida (Carey) Beckstead and Colleen (Brent) Rushton. He is also survived by his five children, Bryan (Sara) Christensen, Bradley (Megan) Christensen, Jessica (Greg) Lambourne, Jeremy (Brenda) Christensen and Daniel (Jennifer) Christensen, and nine grandchildren.

A visitation will be held Saturday, Oct. 21, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Bountiful 25th Ward, 1500 S. 600 East, Bountiful. Graveside services will be held at 3:30 p.m. on the same day, at the Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 S. 200 West, Bountiful. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Las Vegas Junior Golf Association in Vern’s name.  Published in The Davis Clipper

Bonnie Curl

Bonnie was born April 30, 1947 in Salt Lake City to George Curl and Shirley Pringle and passed away on April 26, 2017. Bonnie graduated from Bountiful High School in 1965. She married Paul Peterson in Salt Lake City July 30, 1968 at her mothers home.

Bonnie worked as a clerical person, as a janitor and in the fast food industry.

Bonnie was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved dragon boating and was a member of the Blind Ambition dragon boat team. During her time on Blind Ambition she traveled to Denver, Washington D.C. and Tempe, Ariz., as well as raced in Washington and Oregon. She loved all her cats over the years.

Survivors include her husband, Paul Peterson of Tigard; son, George Peterson of Gresham; daughter, Paula Evans of Tigard; grandson, Joseph Evens of Tigard; sisters, Sharon Bartlett of Paradise, Utah, Patricia Gunderson of Salt Lake City, Linda Oliver of Bountiful, Utah; and her brother, Gordon Curl of Tooele, Utah.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, George Curl and Shirley Pringle.  Bonnie was buried in the Crescent Grove Cemetery, Tigard, OR. 

Lynn Schoenfeld

Lynn Keith Schoenfeld passed away peacefully on Friday, March 3, 2017 - less than two months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 69 years old.

Lynn will be remembered most for being a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Linda Lim; and their four children: Marissa Hatch (Darrin) of Austin, TX; Catherine McKasson (Mark) of Meridian, ID; Steven Schoenfeld (Lindsay) of Lehi, UT; and Susan Stewart (Seth) of Vienna, VA. He was the proud grandfather of ten grandchildren.

Lynn grew up in Bountiful, UT, the only child to parents Keith Walter Schoenfeld and Helen Hogge, both of whom preceded him in death.

In addition to filling his life with family memories, Lynn was known for his accomplishments in his career as an accountant, his dedication to church and community volunteering, and his teasing, dry sense of humor. He enjoyed golfing, reading, traveling, history, piano, and opera. His appreciation for black licorice and dill pickles was a hallmark.

Lynn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Utah in 1972 and a Master's Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA in 1980. He was a tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (retired 1999) and Kernutt Stokes, LLP, in Eugene, OR (retired 2008).

Lynn was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He lived his faith through years of service in leadership and teaching positions, and magnified his callings wherever he was asked to serve. He was a full-time missionary in the French East Mission (France and Switzerland) from 1966-1968 and a senior missionary with Linda in the Church and Family History Headquarters Mission (Salt Lake City) from 2013-2015. He was also a Boise Temple ordinance worker.

He was an officer in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve from 1971-1978.

Lynn was actively involved in his community, regularly volunteering for organizations with which he felt a connection. These included: the Boy Scouts of America, where he held various council and unit leader positions; the Eugene Arts Foundation, where he was a board member and president (1985-1995); the Eugene Opera, serving on the board and as president (1998-2006); the Arts Foundation of Western Oregon (board member) 2006-2007; the Lane Community College Foundation, board member and treasurer 2004-2007; and the Meridian Idaho Library District (board member).

A viewing will be held on March 10 from 6:00-7:30 at the McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville, UT.

A funeral service will be held on March 11, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS Church, 10115 South Yorkshire Drive, South Jordan, UT, where a viewing will be held prior to services at the church from 10-10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Lakeview Memorial Cemetery in Bountiful, UT.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Cancer Society or the University of Utah Hospital Foundation for Neuro Science Research.  Published in Deseret News on Mar. 8, 2017

Afton Westfall

Afton Louise Westfall Diemart, 69, a resident of Wendell, died January 31, 2017, with her family in her home after a long illness.

Afton was born on February 12, 1947 in Wendell, Idaho, the daughter of James Hall and India Clarissa Westfall. She was raised in Southern Idaho, and Northern Utah, graduating in 1965 at Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science and Education at Kansas State Teacher’s College in 1969. She graduated with her Master’s in Education Degree at Wichita State University in 1974. 

She married the love of her life, Roy Charles Diemart on January 28, 1967 in Hamilton, Kansas. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity on August 17, 1974.

Afton was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and she was very active in Primary and with the Young Women’s program.

Afton was well known for her cooking and was able to make a masterpiece meal from humble ingredients. She was able to write any poem in a moment’s notice. She wrote inspiring pieces for her children which they cherish to this day. She created soft and beautiful quilts for each of her grandchildren for their baptism. This was to remind them of the comforting influence of the Holy Ghost. Afton was an avid vegetable gardener and enjoyed teaching her children how to preserve the fruits of their labor. She loved music and reading uplifting books. She loved to travel and enjoyed visiting family members across the continent.

She loved to teach but more importantly cared deeply about the welfare of her students. She was known to go above and beyond to make certain her students’ needs were met. She taught Elementary students for forty years, retiring in 2009.

Afton is survived by: her children, Doreen (Sam) Begay, Jennifer (Sean) Olson, Melissa (James) Thorne, Sarah (Chris) Wendell, Gregory (Anndrea) Diemart, Charles (Tara) Diemart, and Rachael (Nicholas) Havens; her sisters Dorothy, Vernelle, Janine, Cheryl, and Virginia and her brothers, Richard and William. She was also a grandmother of 20 grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Roy Charles Diemart and her father, James Hall Westfall. 

A viewing will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 from 10:00-11:00 am at the Wendell LDS Church. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 am.  Burial will follow at the Wendell Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service-Wendell Chapel.

Ken Petersen

On January 23, 2017 our Dad, Grandpa, and friend, Kenneth Kay Petersen returned to heaven to finally reunite with his Mom and Dad, whom he missed dearly. Our Dad, Kenneth Kay Petersen was born on March 11, 1947 to Ralph Petersen and Myrtle Mary Neilsen-Petersen. He was one of five children; sisters: Devola, Cora, and Carma; and his brother, Shirl. Our Dad graduated from Bountiful High School in 1965 and furthered his education at ITT Technical School where he received a degree in welding. Our Dad Ken enlisted in the Navy in 1969 and served for a brief period in the Vietnam War. He was very patriotic and loved the song “God Bless the USA.”

Our Dad Ken married his first wife Marilyn, later divorced, but together had a daughter, Wendy Petersen-Hurman. On November 19, 1969 he married Carol Bills, later divorced, but together they had David Petersen (Billie Jo), and Amber Bridges (Scott). Our Dad had six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren (three more on the way). Our Dad Ken had such a strong faith in the LDS church. He felt very fortunate to be able to go through the LDS Temple. He had such a strong faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our Dad Ken had many passions throughout his life. As a teenager he enjoyed fixing up cars and was a member of a car club. Our Dad was also a coach for his son, David’s baseball team for many summers. He loved working with young kids. Our Dad’s biggest passion was being an over-the-road truck driver; he was a truck driver for almost thirty years. He would often tell people that he had driven close to three million miles and had pretty much covered every major city throughout the United States. He kept a map book of the United States and highlighted all areas he had been. Since retiring he has lived vicariously through his son, David who is also an over-the-road truck driver. He was so proud of David and what he had accomplished through school and now his truck driving. He loved the phone calls from David with updates of where David was going to be traveling. They would often discuss which highways would be used in David’s travels.

Our Dad was also very proud of me, Amber. I became a distance runner and have run a handful of marathons. My Dad never missed a race. He was there to attend almost every one and always met me at the finish line. He bragged to everyone about my accomplishments. My dad was giddy with all inclusions of our lives. His heart was so filled with love for us that it was hard to believe his heart fit inside his chest. We are going to miss his goofy and playful personality, his beautiful blue eyes, and his deep love for us.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 27, 2017 at Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary, 10055 South State Street, Sandy, Utah. A viewing will be held on Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00 PM and again one hour prior to funeral services at the same location. Interment will be at Memorial Lake Hills Cemetery. Condolences may be left for the family at www.MemorialUtah.com.

Vicki Lynn Higham

         

Vicki Lynn Higham Alder passed away January 7, 2017 in the arms of her loving husband Reuel Alder and into the loving arms of our Savior Jesus Christ. Her daughter Rachel Barnett who cared for her through seven months of Hospices was also with her when she passed.

Vicki is a kind and loving mother of seven children and 16 grandchildren many of whom she cared for when their mothers worked. She was born in Oildale, California to her mother Beverly Ann Foley who still lives. Her father Richard G Higham, step mother Ramona Busenbark and sister Lee Higham preceded her in death.

Vicki’s surviving Children are Jennifer (Clark) Walton, Christina (Todd Denman) Alder, Ammon Alder, Diana (Wes) Baker, Rachael Barnett, Eli Phoenix, and James (Jana) Alder. Surviving grandchildren are Alex Walton, Alyssa Walton, Sarah Walton, Sterling Walton, Luci Walton, Sophia Denman, Sam Denman, Rajko Baker, Andrew Barnett, Daniel Barnett, Jeffery Alder, Jasmine Alder, Jessica Alder, Jennifer Alder, and JayGolden Alder.  Surviving Brothers are Richard Higham, Gill Higham, Eric Higham, David Stitt, Brlan Stitt, Dennis Stitt, Kelly Stitt. Her Sister is Karen Witt.

A viewing will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday 13, January at Russon Brother Mortuary, 1941 N. Main St, Farmington, Utah, 84025.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday 14 January, in the South Weber Chapel located at 1401 E South Weber Drive, South Weber, Utah. A viewing will also take place prior to the funeral services from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at Uintah City Cemetery.