Valene Crosby McMullin – 21 Aug. 1931 – 18 July, 2014. Born in Panguitch, Utah to William Thearon & Marie Heaton Crosby. Valene grew up in Alton, UT. She is the oldest of nine children. When she was about 1 year old she came down with Spinal meningitis, which left her left arm crooked. Valene loved the childhood games and the bonds of friendship she developed in her youth. She still wishes to play the games of kick the can; run sheepie run and more, but her favorite was baseball. She was very accomplished at it. She attended a 2 room school house until the 7th grade, when she rode the school bus to Orderville to the attend the higher grades. She graduated from Valley High School in 1949. Valene was an accomplished homemaker. She learned as a youth to make candy, bread, crochet, embroidery, quilt, canning and all other home skills. She often said the coldest winter of her life was the summer she worked in Panguitch. Valene worked a couple years in Logan for a family as a Nanny. She spent a summer working in Springdale working at the Lodge. One of her roommate's older brother Kay, rode up to see his sister one day and met Valene. Helen McMullin of Hurricane, didn't get much of a visit. The following January, Kay and Valene eloped to Vegas and married on 25 January 1951. The McMullin's became as much her family as the Crosby family, she saw no difference. They made their home in North Las Vegas for a couple years then moved back to Alton where Kay worked at the sawmill during the summer months. They loved it there and would have stayed if he could have found employment year around. In January 1955 they were sealed in the St. George Temple. In July of l955 Karl was born. Shortly after they moved to Hurricane. Aug. 1957 Kay was out peddling peaches, Valene's younger brother Bob drove her to St. George where Leandra was born. Jan. 1959 Adrain came along and Jan l961 Brian followed. 4 months 7 days later Brian died of SIDS. She was a foster parent to Gustavo Morton of Monterrey, Mexico and Annie Begay of Shiprock, N.M. Valene had a variety of church callings in all the organizations of the church but loved the years she taught primary with Edith Hutchings as the Top Pilot primary teacher in the Hurricane North Ward. She spent many years as the compassionate service chairman doing over 300 hundred funeral lunches. She was always a visiting teacher and never missed going. She always sang in the ward choirs. Valene also enjoyed belonging to the D.U.P., camping and fishing. Kay & Valene were part of a close circle of friends they played cards with, had dutch oven dinners together and many picnics and parties together. Valene worked for 19 years as a lunchroom cook in the Hurricane Elementary. She was a great cook. The holidays meals were packed at the McMullin home, everyone wanted to come for a meal of Aunt Valene's. She made hundreds of quilts, pillowcases, and other handwork projects. She spent many hours of her retirement making items for humanitarian projects. Her home was always open to the grandkids and made each one feel as though it was their home. Each knew they had a home away from home there. She spent the last several years of her life in Delta, UT due to Alzheimers Disease. She made a large number of friends and nurtured the other residents while there. Her spunk will be greatly missed by many.
Valene is preceded in death by her parents, Thearon and Marie Crosby, Husband Karl (Kay) Russell McMullin,( 27 Dec. 1996) and son, Brian McMullin. Granddaughter, Kaitlyn McMullin & Great Grandchild, Kopeland Shirley. Siblings, Leslie Crosby and Della C. Bradford. Valene is survived by children, Karl (Vivian) McMullin, Santa Clara, UT., Leandra (Jerry) Skeem, Delta,UT., Adrain McMullin, Spanish Fork, UT. Siblings, Larson Crosby, Kanab, UT., Bob Crosby, Alton, UT., Karen Crosby, Pocatello, ID., Eva Evans, Fredonia, AZ., Marva Crosby, S.L.C., UT., 14 Grandchildren and 11 Great Grandchildren. We would like to thank the people at Pleasant Acres and Diamond D Assisted Living Facilities for the kindness, care and mostly the love, they gave our mother during her stay with them. We would also like to thank the IHC Hospice care providers & Dr. Shamo for their compassion and assistance towards her and our family.
Services will be on Sat. 26 July, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. in the Alton LDS Chapel (11 S 100 W) Alton, UT with a visitation from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. prior to service at the church. Interment will be in the Alton City Cemetery. Online condolences at rasmussenmortuary.com.