Monday, October 26, 2020

Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

 "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.

All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~ Helen Keller


Beth Topham



Ora Beth Topham, 80 years old, passed away on 23 October 2020 in her home in Santaquin, Utah surrounded by her loving family after a 20-year battle with four different cancers. Beth was born in Springville, Utah on 19 May 1940 to Franklin Farr Bramall and Ora Dalton Bramall. She married Lyle Wayne Topham on 21 August 1959 in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple. Beth served in many church callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which she loved with all her heart. She especially loved working with the Young Women.

Beth checked the obituaries every day to see if she was in there. She always disliked long obituaries. We wanted to list all of her goodness but knew she would not want us to and she told us that a full page obituary was expensive. So mom, we'll keep it short.

Mom was selfless, the world's greatest cook, and a crocheting master. She was service oriented and had a deep love for others. She never met a stranger, just a new friend she had yet to meet. Beth was always worried about others.

Beth worked food service for many years prior to becoming a lunch manager for Nebo School district, a job she throughly enjoyed through serving and getting to know thousands of children in the area.

Philosopher Joseph Campbell was asked the essence of life. He responded "The essence of life is suffering." He was then asked "How do you find joy in life?" He answered, "You learn to suffer well." Our mom learned to suffer very well.

She is survived by her husband, Lyle Wayne Topham, son Lee Wayne and wife Sandy Topham; daughter Lorrie Ann and husband Rodney Diamond; son Todd Wesley and wife Brenda; son Jory Lynn and wife Jessica. She will be deeply missed by her 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren who brought tremendous joy to her life.

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So he put his arms around you and whispered, "Come to me." A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best.

See you soon mom!

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 11:00 am at the Santaquin North Stake Center, 545 North 200 East, where family will greet friends from 9:30 to 10:30 am. We encourage all those who attend to follow social distancing guidelines and to wear a mask.

 

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

 

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
~ Helen Keller

HORACE "ROY" EKKER 

Horace LeRoy “Roy” Ekker was gently lifted from earthly cares by his Heavenly Father on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at his home in La Verkin, Utah.

Roy was born on April 15, 1937, to his parents Horace Edward Ekker and Sylvia Gertrude Harris Ekker in Moab, Utah.  Roy grew up in Hanksville and surrounding areas where he raised with the beauty of mountains, rivers, hunting, fishing, mining, ranching and many other outdoor opportunities.  Roy attended elementary school there and had the privilege of education in Bicknell and Green River.  He graduated from Green River High School in 1955 where he excelled at sports.  Roy recovered from the polio epidemic and worked for the Robbers Roast Ranch which was owned by his uncle.
 
After school Roy joined the United States Army.  He served in Korea for 1 ½ years and while there began writing to a pen pal.  After returning to the States, he side-tracked going home to Utah to meet his pen pal, Dixie Ann Allen, in Wyoming.  They were married 8 months later on August 26, 1960 and sealed in the Manti Temple, May 1966, for time and all eternity six years later. Roy and Dixie celebrated their 60th anniversary on August 26, 2020. 
Roy worked diligently in the uranium mines near Green River, Utah as a young man.  He later moved his small family north to Provo where he became a diesel mechanic and later taught his trade at the Utah State Prison.  After 15 years, Roy accepted a teaching position at Snow College South in Richfield and moved to Annabella.  Roy retired from teaching in 1990 and took cooking classes at SCS for fun.  In 2000, a tragic car accident left Roy a quadriplegic, but this did not stop him.  He and Dixie found time to spend time with their wonderful grandchildren and snowbird to Beaver Dam, Arizona.  Roy and Dixie moved to La Verkin in 2015 to enjoy the year-round warm weather and sunshine. 
Roy is survived by the love of his life, Dixie and his children Noelle Kristine Peterson, Phil (Shawna) Ekker, Daniel (La Dawn) Ekker.  Roy has 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren that he loved dearly. 
Graveside services with military honors provided by the Sevier Valley American Legion Post #37 and the Utah Honor Guard will be in the Annabella Cemetery, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October, 24 2020, friends may call for viewing Friday from 6:00PM to 8:00 PM, or Saturday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 AM in the Annabella 2nd Ward Chapel.

Burial in the Annabella Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Homes of Richfield and Salina, Utah.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service


"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
~ Helen Keller

Craig Edwin Nielsen



Craig was born on June 25, 1972 in Payson, Utah to Barry And Vickie (Lindstrom) Nielsen.

He passed away, most likely on September 30, 2020 due to a medical condition. He was hunting in Payson Canyon. It was fitting, as he loved to be in the mountains.

Other things he enjoyed were riding motorcycles with his friends, taxidermy which he learned by reading books and watching videos. He loved to watch old westerns and car racing on TV. He read a lot to learn about things he was interested in, and he loved to work with wood.

He currently worked at JSI Store Fixtures in Payson. The family thanks them for their concern and support. It is very much appreciated.

Survived by parents, brother Chris, sister Karen (Mike) Beagley, nephew Aaron, and niece Ashlee, also the family cat, Bella, who still looks for him and waits by his chair and his best friend Steve, who has been right there with us on this sad, unfortunate journey. We all love and miss him very much.

Predeceased by grandparents Carl and Bertha (Talbot) Lindstrom, Jack and Lois (Nash) Nielsen.

He will be cremated, services provided by www.LegacyFunerals.com in Spanish Fork, Utah. There will be no visitation at the mortuary. The family will gather privately.

We further want to thank Utah County Sheriff's Office, Sargent Gordon. There are no words to adequately express our thanks and gratitude for their attention to our sons' case, and their willingness to do all they could to find him and bring him home; also Payson City, Detective Dodgen.

To leave condolences and share memories of Craig, visit www.LegacyFunerals.com


Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
~ Helen Keller


WESLEY C. BAKER

Wesley C. Baker was born on October 29, 1945 to Lester and Flora Baker in Panguitch, UT.  He passed away on September 30, 2020 at his home in Payson, UT.  He was the oldest of five children. His happiest years were playing and working along side of his brothers and parents.  Wes married Becky Robertson in January of 1976.  Together they were blessed with five children.  They raised their  children in Payson, UT.  Wes had a love of boating and going to hockey games with his children.

Wes is survived by his wife, Becky, children, Jay, Victor (Kamie Curtis), Kassie (Kelly Orton), Robbie (Angee Burdick) and Jed all of Payson, UT., grandchildren, Tyler (Tucker), McKinley (Dane), Keilani, Keenen, Damien, Ajia, Ellie, and Kooper, great granddaughter, Ella.  Also survived by his siblings, Wayne (Diane) of Seattle, WA, Crae (Gayle), Ervin (Carol) both of Salt Lake City, UT and Jalynn (Glen) Jones of Palmer, AK.

A life celebration will be held at a later date.


 

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

 

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
~ Helen Keller


Yvonne Alene Gronberg

Yvonne Alene Gronberg, 76, of Payson, Utah, passed away on October 3, 2020. Yvonne was born on March 13, 1944 in Los Angeles, California to Ivan Emanuel and Luane Roderick Anderson. She eventually became big sister to four brothers. She graduated from Mark Keppel High School, Alhambra, California in June of 1962. She went on to receive her B.S. from California State University, Los Angeles in June of 1969.

Yvonne met Bill Gronberg in 1965 with the help of her aunt and his older sister. Three months later, after a romantic evening at the laundromat, he asked her to marry him. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple on September 9, 1966. Together they were blessed with four daughters.

Yvonne was a firm believer in education. She and Bill filled their home with good books and lots of maps. She taught Special Education for one year in California, then was self-employed as a tutor in Utah. She encouraged and supported her daughters’ development of their talents. She also volunteered with Friends of the Library in Payson, where she was sometimes the Story Lady. Yvonne would make time for her grandchildren to attend “Grandma School” in her home where she would help them with letters, reading, and music. She loved to read and share the positive things she learned with everyone.

The phrase that best represents Yvonne’s approach to life is “Love One Another.” She loved to meet new people, catch up with friends, and stay in touch with everyone. Family was very important. She was the driving force to take her family to many reunions in Idaho and Utah, and also organized Anderson and Gronberg gatherings. She attended as many recitals, performances, and award ceremonies as she could.

Many people felt she was a very good friend and she would “adopt” those that needed a kind mother or grandmother in their life. Children loved her, especially her large doll house and her flip-and-fold fashion dolls. She had many scraps of fabric for her young friends to choose from when designing fashionable outfits. After her own girls had outgrown such playthings, neighborhood children would often knock on the door and ask, “Can your mom play?” Later she shared her toys with her granddaughters and graciously accepted when the grandsons preferred playing with grandpa.

She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served several service missions with Bill, helping in the Senior MTC in Provo and the Church Employment Office in Springville. They also worked together in the Family History Center in Payson. She served in the 17th Ward Young Womens when her daughters were teens and then bravely accepted a call to teach Cub Scouts. Her boy-wrangling skills were a bit rusty by that point in her life, yet she did her best. She was heard to wonder out loud about why “Boys like to fall off their chairs.” Later she served in the Relief Society as a music leader and helped recognize the birthdays of the sisters in the ward. She also served as a ward missionary and volunteered in the Provo and Payson temples through the years.

She battled health issues but took care of herself with grace. She was very supportive of Bill’s need to travel around the U.S. and even around the world. Memorable family trips include traveling around the western states in the big yellow bus, driving to New York state in the blue van in 1991, then driving to Alaska the next year! Bill and Yvonne flew to Hawaii, Maine, Quebec, Iceland, Germany, and Japan. They also traveled to Georgia many times to visit their second daughter, Ginger, and her family. She was always happy to come home to Payson, where Lisa, Louise, and Genise and grandchildren lived close by.

Yvonne was an amateur Ham Radio operator with the call letters of KC7YIF. It was suggested that the Y.I.F. stood for “Yvonne Is Fantastic.”

In December 2018, Yvonne experienced heart failure while returning from Hawaii on a cruise. She recovered from it, but that event seemed to herald a change in her attitude and behavior as months passed. Eventually, she was diagnosed with frontal-temporal dementia and her health and strength continued to deteriorate.

Yvonne is survived by three brothers, her husband, four daughters, three sons-in-law, ten grandchildren, one grandson-in-law, and one great-grandchild, with another on the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Roderick.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah, Another viewing will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2020 from 10-10:45 a.m. at the funeral home. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Springville Evergreen Cemetery. Family and close friends are welcome to come to the cemetery after the service, where there will be opportunities to share personal stories.





 


The Payson Chronicle

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