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

RUTH RASMUSSEN CLAYSON

NOVEMBER 13, 1945 – APRIL 30, 2023

Ruth Rasmussen Clayson, 77, of Payson, passed away on April 30, 2023, of Dementia/ Alzheimer's Disease.

November 13, 1945 was a very special day for Harold Woodruff and Audrey Mower Rasmussen.  On this day their beautiful baby daughter, Ruth, was born.  She was born at home, on a ranch just north of Payson, Utah.  Ruth was always very proud of the fact that she was born on a cattle ranch.   She and her brothers and sisters had a lot of fun with their horses—Topsy, Spur, and Sweetheart.  Her best friend was the cattle dog, Sally. The family moved uptown when she was five years old.  Throughout her life, she always loved animals.

Ruth was the youngest of seven children—John (Mary) Rasmussen, Joyce (Ronald) Millett, Jerry (Carlee) Rasmussen, Karen (Rex) Steele, Janice (Don) Ledbetter, and LaDawn (Kirk) Ludlow.  She was also blessed with many wonderful nephews and nieces. She attended Payson schools and graduated from Payson High School in 1964.  She also attended Brigham Young University.

During the summer and fall of 1964, Ruth met and fell in love with Clark R. Clayson of Payson.  They married and were sealed in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 4, 1965.  They are the proud parents of six children—Andrea (Carl) Calaway of Lindon, UT; Shelly (Tracey) Ruesch of Murrieta, CA; Timothy Clark (Krista) Clayson of Payson, UT; Emily (Brad) Roundy of Payson, UT; Jenny Ruth (John) Peterson of Woodland Hills, UT; and Wesley Clark Clayson of Tooele, UT.  Ruth and Clark are the proud grandparents of 33 grandchildren and the proud great grandparents of 22 great-grandchildren.

Ruth and Clark were always active in the Church.  Ruth held many callings, including Sunday School teacher of high-school aged youth, which she really loved.  (She brought candy bars for them each Sunday except Fast Sunday.) Ruth also served as Young Women’s secretary and Relief Society teacher and secretary, among others.   

Ruth and Clark served together for fourteen years in the South Utah County Mission of the Addiction Recovery Program of the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints.  They served as participants and facilitators in the Family Support meetings and later as missionaries and coordinators of the mission.  They met many wonderful people over the years who will always be lifelong friends in this life and in the life to come.  Because of health reasons, they were released in 2020.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents and brothers and sisters—John and Mary Rasmussen, Joyce and Ronald Millett, Jerry and Carlee Rasmussen, Karen and Rex Steele, Janice and Don Ledbetter, and Kirk Ludlow.  She was also preceded in death by son-in-law—David V. Mortenson, and two beautiful granddaughters—Kaitlyn Hansen and Katie Peralta.

A viewing at Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah, will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5, 2023.  Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mountain View 7th Ward, 681 East 500 North, Payson, Utah, at 11:00 a.m., with visitation from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m.  Interment will be in the Payson City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Humanitarian Fund.