Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton
1919 - 2016
Early Life: She was born May 14, 1919, in Brisbane, Australia, to Charles Wilford Cecil and Mabel Pearl Rixon Bell. As the third of six children and the first of three daughters, she was the delight of her father, and she spent many long hours working with him on their dairy farm. Her parents joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was a small child; their family became devoted members, frequently providing meals and other services for the missionaries who labored in the area. Her baptism took place in the creek near her home, and as a youth she attended church meetings with a determination that often required significant sacrifice.
Life's Work | Service | Interests: Following graduation from school, she worked in an upholstery shop learning skills that she generously shared with others throughout her life. She had a beautiful voice and sang with a group of entertainers. At one point, she won a vocal competition on the radio; the following morning, a newspaper headline hailed her as "The Girl with the Golden Voice." When she was seventeen, a missionary captured her fancy the moment she first laid eyes on him, and she said, "That is the man I want to marry." As she got to know Elder Clarence "Glen" Knighton better, her appreciation for his outstanding character grew. When his mission ended, they began to correspond and she also began her studies in nursing. While she was working at a mental hospital, she received the long awaited proposal and began filling out the paperwork for immigration to the United States. It took almost a year to get everything in order, but finally, in November of 1941, she was able to take passage on a military transport headed for San Francisco. They made a stop in Hawaii, and because of scheduling confusion, she was stranded in Honolulu for over a week. She sailed from Pearl Harbor on Friday, December 5, just 36 hours before it was bombed. Ten days later, on December 15, 1941, she married her missionary sweetheart in the Salt Lake Temple. They started their life together in an old log house on a farm just north of Moore, Idaho. They had very few luxuries but more than enough love to carry them through their many challenges. Ten years later, her father came from Australia to live with the family and helped them build a new house next to the old one. They raised their son and six daughters in that home. When her father's health began to fail some twenty years later, they cared for him until his passing. She had a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature, both great and small. She loved working on the farm with Glen and was definitely his "right hand man." She rose to the challenges of life with resolve and optimism. She grew flowers and produce in her wonderful gardens, she made beautiful clothing for herself and her family, she continually studied health issues so she could better care for sick loved-ones and livestock, and she learned to play the piano during her later adult years. She served as nursery leader for thirteen years, guide patrol teacher for over ten years, and girls' camp director for twenty five years. When her oldest daughter approached the age to marry, she decided to take a cake decorating course by mail. Soon she was providing cake decorating services not only for our family, but for the entire community. In later years, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. They served a mission in Pennsylvania, sold the farm while they were there, and took up residence in sunny St. George, Utah. For the next several years, daily attendance at the St. George Temple brought great joy to their lives. In January of 1999, she had a hip replacement and they stayed in Orem with Elona and Monte Shelley while she recovered. At the end of the summer, they returned to St. George, but Glen's health was rapidly declining and they could no longer manage comfortably on their own. They soon returned to Monte and Elona's home, grateful to be living close to another temple. She continued to tenderly care for Glen until he passed away on January 26, 2000. She immediately established the routine of going to the temple every Friday, and developed many lovely friendships with the workers there. She also took over the role of chief gardener for the Shelley household, growing a nice variety of fruits and vegetables which she happily shared with family and friends. When she wasn't in the garden, she kept herself busy with tatting, knitting and painting. Each winter she visited her sister in California and her sister-in-law in Arizona. Each summer she would take a little time off from the garden to visit other children and family members scattered from Oregon, to Idaho, to Florida. She became a well-known and well-loved member of the Orchard 5th Ward in Orem. She sang in the choir, served as a visiting teacher, and made valuable contributions during Sunday School and Relief Society lessons. Her ready smile and tenacious spirit delighted all who knew her. She loved to go with her daughters to sing at care centers, often entertaining residents who were many years younger than she was. Beloved mother and grandmother, Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton, peacefully departed mortality early in the morning of October 26, 2016.
Family Message: "We know it was time for Mother to leave us, and we rejoice when we think of her in the loving arms of our father, but we also know that we will definitely miss her. Her inspiring example will live on in all of us."
Survived By: Her children: Gaven Knighton (Frances), Elona Shelley (Monte), Janell Watson (Rodney), Nicolet O'Keef (Richard), Korinn Fivecoat (Carl), and Ronya Simmons (Craig); grandchildren too numerous to name, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.
Preceded In Death By: Her beloved husband; her oldest daughter, Glenda Fay Knighton Smith Breslin; and her parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Orem, Utah
Burial: Lost River Cemetery | Moore, Idaho
Original obituary published by:
© Walker Sanderson Funeral Home | 2016
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
1919 - 2016
Early Life: She was born May 14, 1919, in Brisbane, Australia, to Charles Wilford Cecil and Mabel Pearl Rixon Bell. As the third of six children and the first of three daughters, she was the delight of her father, and she spent many long hours working with him on their dairy farm. Her parents joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was a small child; their family became devoted members, frequently providing meals and other services for the missionaries who labored in the area. Her baptism took place in the creek near her home, and as a youth she attended church meetings with a determination that often required significant sacrifice.
Life's Work | Service | Interests: Following graduation from school, she worked in an upholstery shop learning skills that she generously shared with others throughout her life. She had a beautiful voice and sang with a group of entertainers. At one point, she won a vocal competition on the radio; the following morning, a newspaper headline hailed her as "The Girl with the Golden Voice." When she was seventeen, a missionary captured her fancy the moment she first laid eyes on him, and she said, "That is the man I want to marry." As she got to know Elder Clarence "Glen" Knighton better, her appreciation for his outstanding character grew. When his mission ended, they began to correspond and she also began her studies in nursing. While she was working at a mental hospital, she received the long awaited proposal and began filling out the paperwork for immigration to the United States. It took almost a year to get everything in order, but finally, in November of 1941, she was able to take passage on a military transport headed for San Francisco. They made a stop in Hawaii, and because of scheduling confusion, she was stranded in Honolulu for over a week. She sailed from Pearl Harbor on Friday, December 5, just 36 hours before it was bombed. Ten days later, on December 15, 1941, she married her missionary sweetheart in the Salt Lake Temple. They started their life together in an old log house on a farm just north of Moore, Idaho. They had very few luxuries but more than enough love to carry them through their many challenges. Ten years later, her father came from Australia to live with the family and helped them build a new house next to the old one. They raised their son and six daughters in that home. When her father's health began to fail some twenty years later, they cared for him until his passing. She had a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature, both great and small. She loved working on the farm with Glen and was definitely his "right hand man." She rose to the challenges of life with resolve and optimism. She grew flowers and produce in her wonderful gardens, she made beautiful clothing for herself and her family, she continually studied health issues so she could better care for sick loved-ones and livestock, and she learned to play the piano during her later adult years. She served as nursery leader for thirteen years, guide patrol teacher for over ten years, and girls' camp director for twenty five years. When her oldest daughter approached the age to marry, she decided to take a cake decorating course by mail. Soon she was providing cake decorating services not only for our family, but for the entire community. In later years, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. They served a mission in Pennsylvania, sold the farm while they were there, and took up residence in sunny St. George, Utah. For the next several years, daily attendance at the St. George Temple brought great joy to their lives. In January of 1999, she had a hip replacement and they stayed in Orem with Elona and Monte Shelley while she recovered. At the end of the summer, they returned to St. George, but Glen's health was rapidly declining and they could no longer manage comfortably on their own. They soon returned to Monte and Elona's home, grateful to be living close to another temple. She continued to tenderly care for Glen until he passed away on January 26, 2000. She immediately established the routine of going to the temple every Friday, and developed many lovely friendships with the workers there. She also took over the role of chief gardener for the Shelley household, growing a nice variety of fruits and vegetables which she happily shared with family and friends. When she wasn't in the garden, she kept herself busy with tatting, knitting and painting. Each winter she visited her sister in California and her sister-in-law in Arizona. Each summer she would take a little time off from the garden to visit other children and family members scattered from Oregon, to Idaho, to Florida. She became a well-known and well-loved member of the Orchard 5th Ward in Orem. She sang in the choir, served as a visiting teacher, and made valuable contributions during Sunday School and Relief Society lessons. Her ready smile and tenacious spirit delighted all who knew her. She loved to go with her daughters to sing at care centers, often entertaining residents who were many years younger than she was. Beloved mother and grandmother, Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton, peacefully departed mortality early in the morning of October 26, 2016.
Family Message: "We know it was time for Mother to leave us, and we rejoice when we think of her in the loving arms of our father, but we also know that we will definitely miss her. Her inspiring example will live on in all of us."
Survived By: Her children: Gaven Knighton (Frances), Elona Shelley (Monte), Janell Watson (Rodney), Nicolet O'Keef (Richard), Korinn Fivecoat (Carl), and Ronya Simmons (Craig); grandchildren too numerous to name, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.
Preceded In Death By: Her beloved husband; her oldest daughter, Glenda Fay Knighton Smith Breslin; and her parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Orem, Utah
Burial: Lost River Cemetery | Moore, Idaho
Original obituary published by:
© Walker Sanderson Funeral Home | 2016
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton
1919 - 2016
Early Life: She was born May 14, 1919, in Brisbane, Australia, to Charles Wilford Cecil and Mabel Pearl Rixon Bell. As the third of six children and the first of three daughters, she was the delight of her father, and she spent many long hours working with him on their dairy farm. Her parents joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was a small child; their family became devoted members, frequently providing meals and other services for the missionaries who labored in the area. Her baptism took place in the creek near her home, and as a youth she attended church meetings with a determination that often required significant sacrifice.
Life's Work | Service | Interests: Following graduation from school, she worked in an upholstery shop learning skills that she generously shared with others throughout her life. She had a beautiful voice and sang with a group of entertainers. At one point, she won a vocal competition on the radio; the following morning, a newspaper headline hailed her as "The Girl with the Golden Voice." When she was seventeen, a missionary captured her fancy the moment she first laid eyes on him, and she said, "That is the man I want to marry." As she got to know Elder Clarence "Glen" Knighton better, her appreciation for his outstanding character grew. When his mission ended, they began to correspond and she also began her studies in nursing. While she was working at a mental hospital, she received the long awaited proposal and began filling out the paperwork for immigration to the United States. It took almost a year to get everything in order, but finally, in November of 1941, she was able to take passage on a military transport headed for San Francisco. They made a stop in Hawaii, and because of scheduling confusion, she was stranded in Honolulu for over a week. She sailed from Pearl Harbor on Friday, December 5, just 36 hours before it was bombed. Ten days later, on December 15, 1941, she married her missionary sweetheart in the Salt Lake Temple. They started their life together in an old log house on a farm just north of Moore, Idaho. They had very few luxuries but more than enough love to carry them through their many challenges. Ten years later, her father came from Australia to live with the family and helped them build a new house next to the old one. They raised their son and six daughters in that home. When her father's health began to fail some twenty years later, they cared for him until his passing. She had a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature, both great and small. She loved working on the farm with Glen and was definitely his "right hand man." She rose to the challenges of life with resolve and optimism. She grew flowers and produce in her wonderful gardens, she made beautiful clothing for herself and her family, she continually studied health issues so she could better care for sick loved-ones and livestock, and she learned to play the piano during her later adult years. She served as nursery leader for thirteen years, guide patrol teacher for over ten years, and girls' camp director for twenty five years. When her oldest daughter approached the age to marry, she decided to take a cake decorating course by mail. Soon she was providing cake decorating services not only for our family, but for the entire community. In later years, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. They served a mission in Pennsylvania, sold the farm while they were there, and took up residence in sunny St. George, Utah. For the next several years, daily attendance at the St. George Temple brought great joy to their lives. In January of 1999, she had a hip replacement and they stayed in Orem with Elona and Monte Shelley while she recovered. At the end of the summer, they returned to St. George, but Glen's health was rapidly declining and they could no longer manage comfortably on their own. They soon returned to Monte and Elona's home, grateful to be living close to another temple. She continued to tenderly care for Glen until he passed away on January 26, 2000. She immediately established the routine of going to the temple every Friday, and developed many lovely friendships with the workers there. She also took over the role of chief gardener for the Shelley household, growing a nice variety of fruits and vegetables which she happily shared with family and friends. When she wasn't in the garden, she kept herself busy with tatting, knitting and painting. Each winter she visited her sister in California and her sister-in-law in Arizona. Each summer she would take a little time off from the garden to visit other children and family members scattered from Oregon, to Idaho, to Florida. She became a well-known and well-loved member of the Orchard 5th Ward in Orem. She sang in the choir, served as a visiting teacher, and made valuable contributions during Sunday School and Relief Society lessons. Her ready smile and tenacious spirit delighted all who knew her. She loved to go with her daughters to sing at care centers, often entertaining residents who were many years younger than she was. Beloved mother and grandmother, Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton, peacefully departed mortality early in the morning of October 26, 2016.
Family Message: "We know it was time for Mother to leave us, and we rejoice when we think of her in the loving arms of our father, but we also know that we will definitely miss her. Her inspiring example will live on in all of us."
Survived By: Her children: Gaven Knighton (Frances), Elona Shelley (Monte), Janell Watson (Rodney), Nicolet O'Keef (Richard), Korinn Fivecoat (Carl), and Ronya Simmons (Craig); grandchildren too numerous to name, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.
Preceded In Death By: Her beloved husband; her oldest daughter, Glenda Fay Knighton Smith Breslin; and her parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Orem, Utah
Burial: Lost River Cemetery | Moore, Idaho
Original obituary published by:
© Walker Sanderson Funeral Home | 2016
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
1919 - 2016
Early Life: She was born May 14, 1919, in Brisbane, Australia, to Charles Wilford Cecil and Mabel Pearl Rixon Bell. As the third of six children and the first of three daughters, she was the delight of her father, and she spent many long hours working with him on their dairy farm. Her parents joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was a small child; their family became devoted members, frequently providing meals and other services for the missionaries who labored in the area. Her baptism took place in the creek near her home, and as a youth she attended church meetings with a determination that often required significant sacrifice.
Life's Work | Service | Interests: Following graduation from school, she worked in an upholstery shop learning skills that she generously shared with others throughout her life. She had a beautiful voice and sang with a group of entertainers. At one point, she won a vocal competition on the radio; the following morning, a newspaper headline hailed her as "The Girl with the Golden Voice." When she was seventeen, a missionary captured her fancy the moment she first laid eyes on him, and she said, "That is the man I want to marry." As she got to know Elder Clarence "Glen" Knighton better, her appreciation for his outstanding character grew. When his mission ended, they began to correspond and she also began her studies in nursing. While she was working at a mental hospital, she received the long awaited proposal and began filling out the paperwork for immigration to the United States. It took almost a year to get everything in order, but finally, in November of 1941, she was able to take passage on a military transport headed for San Francisco. They made a stop in Hawaii, and because of scheduling confusion, she was stranded in Honolulu for over a week. She sailed from Pearl Harbor on Friday, December 5, just 36 hours before it was bombed. Ten days later, on December 15, 1941, she married her missionary sweetheart in the Salt Lake Temple. They started their life together in an old log house on a farm just north of Moore, Idaho. They had very few luxuries but more than enough love to carry them through their many challenges. Ten years later, her father came from Australia to live with the family and helped them build a new house next to the old one. They raised their son and six daughters in that home. When her father's health began to fail some twenty years later, they cared for him until his passing. She had a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature, both great and small. She loved working on the farm with Glen and was definitely his "right hand man." She rose to the challenges of life with resolve and optimism. She grew flowers and produce in her wonderful gardens, she made beautiful clothing for herself and her family, she continually studied health issues so she could better care for sick loved-ones and livestock, and she learned to play the piano during her later adult years. She served as nursery leader for thirteen years, guide patrol teacher for over ten years, and girls' camp director for twenty five years. When her oldest daughter approached the age to marry, she decided to take a cake decorating course by mail. Soon she was providing cake decorating services not only for our family, but for the entire community. In later years, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. They served a mission in Pennsylvania, sold the farm while they were there, and took up residence in sunny St. George, Utah. For the next several years, daily attendance at the St. George Temple brought great joy to their lives. In January of 1999, she had a hip replacement and they stayed in Orem with Elona and Monte Shelley while she recovered. At the end of the summer, they returned to St. George, but Glen's health was rapidly declining and they could no longer manage comfortably on their own. They soon returned to Monte and Elona's home, grateful to be living close to another temple. She continued to tenderly care for Glen until he passed away on January 26, 2000. She immediately established the routine of going to the temple every Friday, and developed many lovely friendships with the workers there. She also took over the role of chief gardener for the Shelley household, growing a nice variety of fruits and vegetables which she happily shared with family and friends. When she wasn't in the garden, she kept herself busy with tatting, knitting and painting. Each winter she visited her sister in California and her sister-in-law in Arizona. Each summer she would take a little time off from the garden to visit other children and family members scattered from Oregon, to Idaho, to Florida. She became a well-known and well-loved member of the Orchard 5th Ward in Orem. She sang in the choir, served as a visiting teacher, and made valuable contributions during Sunday School and Relief Society lessons. Her ready smile and tenacious spirit delighted all who knew her. She loved to go with her daughters to sing at care centers, often entertaining residents who were many years younger than she was. Beloved mother and grandmother, Audrey Glenda Bell Knighton, peacefully departed mortality early in the morning of October 26, 2016.
Family Message: "We know it was time for Mother to leave us, and we rejoice when we think of her in the loving arms of our father, but we also know that we will definitely miss her. Her inspiring example will live on in all of us."
Survived By: Her children: Gaven Knighton (Frances), Elona Shelley (Monte), Janell Watson (Rodney), Nicolet O'Keef (Richard), Korinn Fivecoat (Carl), and Ronya Simmons (Craig); grandchildren too numerous to name, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.
Preceded In Death By: Her beloved husband; her oldest daughter, Glenda Fay Knighton Smith Breslin; and her parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Orem, Utah
Burial: Lost River Cemetery | Moore, Idaho
Original obituary published by:
© Walker Sanderson Funeral Home | 2016
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
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