Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Services

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. 

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

Forthcoming funeral services are planned for the following friends from our community. Complete versions of these obituaries may be found in The Payson Chronicle and on our website at paysonchronicle.com.

EVA LANEA NORTON

Our dear, sweet mother, Eva LaNea Wright Norton, slipped peacefully into the next life on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 in Santaquin, Utah, attended by devoted family members and loving caregivers.   Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at the Genola LDS Chapel located at the corner of Main and Center Streets at 11:00 a.m.  Friends and loved ones may call prior to the funeral from 9:30-10:45 a.m.  All who knew Mom are invited to attend.  Interment will follow at Redwood Memorial Estates Cemetery in West Jordan. The family also appreciates Brown Family Mortuary for their services at this time.

MARY JUNE HEELIS

Mary June Heelis completed her mortal journey on Friday, April 17, 2015, dying of natural causes at Mountain View Hospital in Payson, UT. A viewing will be held on Monday, April 20th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at Brown Family Mortuary, 66 South 300 East, Santaquin. Funeral services will be Tuesday, April 21st at 12:00 in the Santaquin Third West LDS church, 100 North 345 West, with a viewing from 11:00 to 11:45. Interment will be in the Santaquin City Cemetery.

DARREN REED BUNKER

Darren passed away peacefully after a 28 month battle with a brain tumor. He leaves behind his wife, 6 children, Mom and Dad, 2 brothers and 2 sisters and all their families.  Funeral services will be 11:00 am, Friday, April 17, 2015 at the Mtn. View 8th Ward, 789 Arrowhead Trail Road,  Payson, Utah where a viewing will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 16, 2015 and Friday prior to services from 9:45 to 10:45 am.  Interment in the Payson City Cemetery.

Utah's Hunger Issues Persist, Despite Economic Recovery

by Troy Wilde

April 13, 2015

PROVO, Utah - Despite the economic recovery, one in seven people - or 15 percent of Utahns - live with hunger on an ongoing basis, according to a new report from the Food Research and Action Center.

Myla Dutton is executive director of he Community Action Services and Food Bank in Provo, which serves hundreds of people every month. She says many of the organization's clients are families in which one or both parents are working multiple low-wage, part-time jobs, and still can't get by.

"More people with two or three part-time jobs, more of that than in the last seven or eight years," she points out. "Families with a couple of children - it's really tough."

The report determines food hardship as people not having enough money at some point in the year to buy food for themselves or their families.

Dutton says her organization provided a million and a half meals to thousands of families last year.

The report also includes polling data that shows a majority of Americans oppose efforts by some in Congress to cut funding from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other government safety-net programs.

Dutton says the programs are vital for many people.

"As a food bank, we see daily the importance of the SNAP program - the food stamp program - the importance of WIC, and the other nutrition programs in schools, and helping families make it," she stresses.

Utah ranks 36th among states in the report, which says Mississippi, Louisiana, and West Virginia have the nation's highest rates of food hardship.

Remember Mom

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5K Fundraiser and Raffle Benefit for Robert Gee Set for Saturday, April 18th

Fifty-one-year-old Robert Gee, married for twenty-eight plus years to Dana Gee, and father to three children, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer in November 2014.  Unfortunately, one of their adult sons passed away unexpectedly from complications of mononucleosis on February 2010.  With that in mind, they have been through some challenging times already.

Robert had surgery in December and is currently undergoing Chemotherapy until July 2015.  All donations are appreciated.

The 5K Fundraiser and Raffle will be held April 18, 2015, at 8:00 a.m.  Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at Centennial Park—300 West 100 South, Santaquin, Utah.

5K Race Registration is $10.00 per person.

Raffle: $2.00 per ticket, $5.00 for three tickets.

All participation and donations are appreciated!

“CRUSADE AGAINST DARKNESS” FURTHERED THROUGH PERSONAL PROGRESS PROJECT

Karen Tribett and her lovely granddaughters, Lindsey and Caimbre Bunton, delivered a generous gift to the Payson Lions Club early this month.  They gave the gift of sight.

The family joined the local civic club at the Peteetneet Museum and Cultural Arts Center for dinner, bringing with them a contribution of eyeglasses for the sight-impaired.

Among humanitarian efforts undertaken by the Lions Clubs International (LCI) organization is to aid people with vision problems.  It is a proud campaign dating back to the 1925 LCI International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, when Helen Keller asked Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.”

Nearly a century later, Caimbre and Lindsay have furthered the crusade.  Their contribution culminated after hours of creating and distributing fliers, and then collecting the eyeglasses as they strived to earn the Personal Progress honor.

As for the Payson Lions Club, members expressed their gratitude with wholehearted “Roars!” of thanks, understanding that the eyeglasses make life easier for people who struggle with vision, but are unable to afford corrective eyewear.

REUNIONS: Remembering Our Peers Every Five Years

Planning your high school class reunion this year?

 Remind your peers

with an announcement published

in The Payson Chronicle.

Send your announcement to Mike at thepaysonchronicle@msn.com.

Twenty-plus Teams Featured at Payson Softball Tournament

More than twenty teams were featured in Saturday's softball tournament co-hosted by Payson High School and Payson City Recreation.  More at: paysonchronicle.com

Pictured: Bailee Kay of Payson hitting against Gunnison Valley (photo by Todd Phillips)