Our mother and grandmother died peacefully Sunday night, December 19, 2010 holding dad's hand. They had been married more than 70 years. She was born in Layton, UT to Elizabeth A. Thornley and David B. Simmons. She was very proud of graduating from Davis High School and could still sing the school song. She married dad in 1940. When he enlisted in the Air Corp during World War II, she followed him around the country as he went from one training post to another. This was no small feat for a farm girl from rural Utah who had never even been to Salt Lake City! She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bountiful and spoke almost daily about going to heaven and seeing Jesus as well as her father and the babies again. Mom had four children, LeAnn and Michael, who died when they were babies, and Marilynn and Chriss. She was a great mother, sacrificing to raise us. She even overcame her fear of water, just so we could go boating. During their retirement years, she and dad traveled all around the country. She loved to do this. Right up to the end, she had happily been planning Christmas with her children, grandchildren and great-grand-children. Preceeding her in death are LeAnn Bybee and Michael Bybee, four sisters, Zilpha Hunsaker, Lenora Johnson, Orella Burningham, and Violet Link; one brother, Eldon (Doug) Simmons. She is survived by her darling husband, LeLand P. Bybee, two children, Marilynn (Craig) Rockelman, and Chriss Bybee, Seven grandchildren, Stacey (Steve) Myers, Kami Rockelman, Brooke (B.J.) Backus, Chriss (Ashley) Archuleta, Joshua (April) Archuleta, Tyson (Jessica) Bybee and Cody Bybee. She leaves behind 11 great-grandchildren. Mom didn't want any kind of ceremony for herself, but we couldn't let her pass without remembering her wonderful life. Please join us Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 11 a.m. for a memorial service in her honor. The service will be at Southeast Christian Church, 1881 E. Vine Street, Salt Lake City, UT. Friends may call an hour before the ceremony and there will be lunch provided at the church following the service. Mom was cremated and will wait to be buried with dad.
Published in the Deseret News from December 26 to December 27, 2010.