Our beloved mother, LaVon Williams Finlinson, 83, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2015 in her downtown Salt Lake City residence, due to incidents of age and years of rheumatoid arthritis. She was born in Spanish Fork, Utah to Allen Berry & Delila Gardner Williams on July 1, 1932. She married Richard Lyman (Dick) Finlinson on March 17, 1952 in the Salt Lake Temple and together they had seven children.
A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVon had a particular passion for missionary work. She loved to share the gospel and the fruits of her labors are world-wide. She has written a 2-part book, "Opposites: The Law and Order of the Universe" and "The Unfolding of Opposites in the Marvelous Work and a Wonder." She was Chairman of the Board for the Religious Research Association, an organization founded in Arizona, for the purpose of identifying inaccurate information about the LDS Church.
LaVon was well-versed and keenly interested in world events to the very end. She was a self-taught scholar in many aspects and on many subjects. She was blessed with the ability to look at what most think of as random events and relate them to the spiritual.
She was solid, simple, honest and true to the gospel. Obedience came naturally to her. LaVon was a stellar example of perseverance, patience and long-suffering through her physical trials. She did not deviate from her goals, even when it took a little longer to reach them. She bore her burdens well.
LaVon was resourceful and creative, always looking for ways to make her surroundings more visibly pleasing. She made her corner of the world beautiful and comfortable.
Earlier memories of homemade bread, peanut butter & honey, big horns of cheese, chicken & rice, large pots of yummy food, Sunday dinners and neighborhood parties will always be remembered. LaVon was often feeding large gatherings after the baptism of an investigator, friend or family member.
Dick and LaVon lived in Oak City, UT; Paul, ID; and Mesa, AZ since 1965, where they raised their family. Dick inherited the old family home in Oak City and it became a place for the family to get out of the Arizona heat during the long, hot summers. Later, a condo was purchased in downtown Salt Lake. True to our adage: "You can take the girl out of Utah, but you can't take the Utah out of the girl", Utah has continued to be home during the summer months.
Many thanks to our father for his years of devotion and love in attending to our mother as she progressively became wheelchair bound and lost her physical abilities to take care of herself. There are angels on this earth, and he is one of them.
LaVon is survived by her husband and children; Bruce (Laurel) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Diane (Tom) Miller, Mesa, AZ; Mark (Kimi) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Allen (Breta) Finlinson, Orem, UT; Gary Finlinson, Mesa, AZ; David (Thelma) Finlinson, South Jordan, UT; 32 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren; sisters, Edith (Keith) Barber, Spanish Fork UT; Marilyn (Corey) Grua, Grantsville, UT. She is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Karen Savage; sister, Helen Ann Pawlowski; brother, Paul Allen Williams and great-grandson, Keven John Stratton III.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 11 AM in the Federal Heights Ward, located at 1300 E. Fairfax Rd, SLC, Utah 84103. Viewings will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015 from 6-8 PM at the City View Memoriam (formerly known as Garner Funeral Home) at 1001 11th Ave. SLC, Utah; and Thursday at the church, 9:30-10:45 AM, prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Arrangements by City View Memoriam, Salt Lake City, Utah
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A Memorial Service for LaVon will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Central Stake Center, 925 N. Harris, Mesa, AZ.
Obituary written by Diane Finlinson Miller, daughter
A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVon had a particular passion for missionary work. She loved to share the gospel and the fruits of her labors are world-wide. She has written a 2-part book, "Opposites: The Law and Order of the Universe" and "The Unfolding of Opposites in the Marvelous Work and a Wonder." She was Chairman of the Board for the Religious Research Association, an organization founded in Arizona, for the purpose of identifying inaccurate information about the LDS Church.
LaVon was well-versed and keenly interested in world events to the very end. She was a self-taught scholar in many aspects and on many subjects. She was blessed with the ability to look at what most think of as random events and relate them to the spiritual.
She was solid, simple, honest and true to the gospel. Obedience came naturally to her. LaVon was a stellar example of perseverance, patience and long-suffering through her physical trials. She did not deviate from her goals, even when it took a little longer to reach them. She bore her burdens well.
LaVon was resourceful and creative, always looking for ways to make her surroundings more visibly pleasing. She made her corner of the world beautiful and comfortable.
Earlier memories of homemade bread, peanut butter & honey, big horns of cheese, chicken & rice, large pots of yummy food, Sunday dinners and neighborhood parties will always be remembered. LaVon was often feeding large gatherings after the baptism of an investigator, friend or family member.
Dick and LaVon lived in Oak City, UT; Paul, ID; and Mesa, AZ since 1965, where they raised their family. Dick inherited the old family home in Oak City and it became a place for the family to get out of the Arizona heat during the long, hot summers. Later, a condo was purchased in downtown Salt Lake. True to our adage: "You can take the girl out of Utah, but you can't take the Utah out of the girl", Utah has continued to be home during the summer months.
Many thanks to our father for his years of devotion and love in attending to our mother as she progressively became wheelchair bound and lost her physical abilities to take care of herself. There are angels on this earth, and he is one of them.
LaVon is survived by her husband and children; Bruce (Laurel) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Diane (Tom) Miller, Mesa, AZ; Mark (Kimi) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Allen (Breta) Finlinson, Orem, UT; Gary Finlinson, Mesa, AZ; David (Thelma) Finlinson, South Jordan, UT; 32 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren; sisters, Edith (Keith) Barber, Spanish Fork UT; Marilyn (Corey) Grua, Grantsville, UT. She is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Karen Savage; sister, Helen Ann Pawlowski; brother, Paul Allen Williams and great-grandson, Keven John Stratton III.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 11 AM in the Federal Heights Ward, located at 1300 E. Fairfax Rd, SLC, Utah 84103. Viewings will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015 from 6-8 PM at the City View Memoriam (formerly known as Garner Funeral Home) at 1001 11th Ave. SLC, Utah; and Thursday at the church, 9:30-10:45 AM, prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Arrangements by City View Memoriam, Salt Lake City, Utah
--------------------
A Memorial Service for LaVon will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Central Stake Center, 925 N. Harris, Mesa, AZ.
Obituary written by Diane Finlinson Miller, daughter
Our beloved mother, LaVon Williams Finlinson, 83, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2015 in her downtown Salt Lake City residence, due to incidents of age and years of rheumatoid arthritis. She was born in Spanish Fork, Utah to Allen Berry & Delila Gardner Williams on July 1, 1932. She married Richard Lyman (Dick) Finlinson on March 17, 1952 in the Salt Lake Temple and together they had seven children.
A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVon had a particular passion for missionary work. She loved to share the gospel and the fruits of her labors are world-wide. She has written a 2-part book, "Opposites: The Law and Order of the Universe" and "The Unfolding of Opposites in the Marvelous Work and a Wonder." She was Chairman of the Board for the Religious Research Association, an organization founded in Arizona, for the purpose of identifying inaccurate information about the LDS Church.
LaVon was well-versed and keenly interested in world events to the very end. She was a self-taught scholar in many aspects and on many subjects. She was blessed with the ability to look at what most think of as random events and relate them to the spiritual.
She was solid, simple, honest and true to the gospel. Obedience came naturally to her. LaVon was a stellar example of perseverance, patience and long-suffering through her physical trials. She did not deviate from her goals, even when it took a little longer to reach them. She bore her burdens well.
LaVon was resourceful and creative, always looking for ways to make her surroundings more visibly pleasing. She made her corner of the world beautiful and comfortable.
Earlier memories of homemade bread, peanut butter & honey, big horns of cheese, chicken & rice, large pots of yummy food, Sunday dinners and neighborhood parties will always be remembered. LaVon was often feeding large gatherings after the baptism of an investigator, friend or family member.
Dick and LaVon lived in Oak City, UT; Paul, ID; and Mesa, AZ since 1965, where they raised their family. Dick inherited the old family home in Oak City and it became a place for the family to get out of the Arizona heat during the long, hot summers. Later, a condo was purchased in downtown Salt Lake. True to our adage: "You can take the girl out of Utah, but you can't take the Utah out of the girl", Utah has continued to be home during the summer months.
Many thanks to our father for his years of devotion and love in attending to our mother as she progressively became wheelchair bound and lost her physical abilities to take care of herself. There are angels on this earth, and he is one of them.
LaVon is survived by her husband and children; Bruce (Laurel) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Diane (Tom) Miller, Mesa, AZ; Mark (Kimi) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Allen (Breta) Finlinson, Orem, UT; Gary Finlinson, Mesa, AZ; David (Thelma) Finlinson, South Jordan, UT; 32 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren; sisters, Edith (Keith) Barber, Spanish Fork UT; Marilyn (Corey) Grua, Grantsville, UT. She is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Karen Savage; sister, Helen Ann Pawlowski; brother, Paul Allen Williams and great-grandson, Keven John Stratton III.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 11 AM in the Federal Heights Ward, located at 1300 E. Fairfax Rd, SLC, Utah 84103. Viewings will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015 from 6-8 PM at the City View Memoriam (formerly known as Garner Funeral Home) at 1001 11th Ave. SLC, Utah; and Thursday at the church, 9:30-10:45 AM, prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Arrangements by City View Memoriam, Salt Lake City, Utah
--------------------
A Memorial Service for LaVon will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Central Stake Center, 925 N. Harris, Mesa, AZ.
Obituary written by Diane Finlinson Miller, daughter
A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVon had a particular passion for missionary work. She loved to share the gospel and the fruits of her labors are world-wide. She has written a 2-part book, "Opposites: The Law and Order of the Universe" and "The Unfolding of Opposites in the Marvelous Work and a Wonder." She was Chairman of the Board for the Religious Research Association, an organization founded in Arizona, for the purpose of identifying inaccurate information about the LDS Church.
LaVon was well-versed and keenly interested in world events to the very end. She was a self-taught scholar in many aspects and on many subjects. She was blessed with the ability to look at what most think of as random events and relate them to the spiritual.
She was solid, simple, honest and true to the gospel. Obedience came naturally to her. LaVon was a stellar example of perseverance, patience and long-suffering through her physical trials. She did not deviate from her goals, even when it took a little longer to reach them. She bore her burdens well.
LaVon was resourceful and creative, always looking for ways to make her surroundings more visibly pleasing. She made her corner of the world beautiful and comfortable.
Earlier memories of homemade bread, peanut butter & honey, big horns of cheese, chicken & rice, large pots of yummy food, Sunday dinners and neighborhood parties will always be remembered. LaVon was often feeding large gatherings after the baptism of an investigator, friend or family member.
Dick and LaVon lived in Oak City, UT; Paul, ID; and Mesa, AZ since 1965, where they raised their family. Dick inherited the old family home in Oak City and it became a place for the family to get out of the Arizona heat during the long, hot summers. Later, a condo was purchased in downtown Salt Lake. True to our adage: "You can take the girl out of Utah, but you can't take the Utah out of the girl", Utah has continued to be home during the summer months.
Many thanks to our father for his years of devotion and love in attending to our mother as she progressively became wheelchair bound and lost her physical abilities to take care of herself. There are angels on this earth, and he is one of them.
LaVon is survived by her husband and children; Bruce (Laurel) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Diane (Tom) Miller, Mesa, AZ; Mark (Kimi) Finlinson, Salt Lake City, UT; Allen (Breta) Finlinson, Orem, UT; Gary Finlinson, Mesa, AZ; David (Thelma) Finlinson, South Jordan, UT; 32 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren; sisters, Edith (Keith) Barber, Spanish Fork UT; Marilyn (Corey) Grua, Grantsville, UT. She is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Karen Savage; sister, Helen Ann Pawlowski; brother, Paul Allen Williams and great-grandson, Keven John Stratton III.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 11 AM in the Federal Heights Ward, located at 1300 E. Fairfax Rd, SLC, Utah 84103. Viewings will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015 from 6-8 PM at the City View Memoriam (formerly known as Garner Funeral Home) at 1001 11th Ave. SLC, Utah; and Thursday at the church, 9:30-10:45 AM, prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Arrangements by City View Memoriam, Salt Lake City, Utah
--------------------
A Memorial Service for LaVon will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM in Mesa, Arizona at the Mesa Central Stake Center, 925 N. Harris, Mesa, AZ.
Obituary written by Diane Finlinson Miller, daughter
