Arel Larsen

Arel Rae Jones Larsen passed away on February 7, 2021 the same way she lived—surrounded by her loved ones. She was 89.

Arel, the oldest of five children, was born on July 20, 1931 to Heber A. Jones and Zada T. Terry Jones. She was raised in Salt Lake City and graduated from South High School in 1948.

On April 24 of that year she married Grant Ronald Larsen, and throughout their time together they were blessed with six children. They later divorced.

After 23 years in the Salt Lake area, Arel and her family relocated to Layton for a short time before settling in Kaysville. She loved Kaysville and lived there for 53 years—all but the last two years of her life, which she spent back in Layton in an assisted living community.

She was a wonderful provider and worked in a variety of jobs to support her family, culminating in a career at First Security Bank. She studied banking and accounting at Weber State College and retired from the bank in 1995 after 18 years of exceptional service.

Arel was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which she shared with her family and community by both word and example. Throughout her life she served in many positions in the church, including in the Relief Society, Primary, Young Women, and Sunday School organizations. She especially loved the three years she was able to serve in the Bountiful Utah Temple and the years she spent serving with the Classics group in her stake.

She was a long-time member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Sunflower Camp, and the Layton Ladies Literary Society.

Arel had a genuine talent for handcrafting and loved to gift the products of her sewing, quilting, crocheting, and more to her family, friends, and neighbors. She also loved gardening, working in her yard, solving word puzzles, and cooking for her large family. She had an amazing collection of spoons, which she and her family brought back from their travels all around the world, and of which her grandchildren were forever in awe. She loved musicals, plays, movies, going out to dinner, and any activity that involved spending time with her family.

Her children are Barbara Thompson (Darrell); Ronald Larsen (Joann) of Layton; Anita Heaston (Gregory) of Layton; Gordon Larsen (Debra) of West Point; Janet Moyer (John) of Kaysville; and Carolyn Balls (Steven) of Layton. Arel was Grandma Larsen to 25 incredibly lucky and unconditionally loved grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren, with still more on the way.

Her siblings are Dale Jones (Verleen), Brent Jones (Marilyn), Jerre Baker (Bruce), and Phillip Jones.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Barbara; son Gordon; son-in-law Darrell; son-in-law John; great-grandson Colin Larsen; brother Dale; brother-in-law Bruce; and sister-in-law Marilyn.

Funeral services for Arel will be held on Friday, February 12, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 N Fairfield Rd. Friends may visit with her family Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 at the mortuary. She will be interred at the Kaysville City Cemetery at 500 Crestwood Rd. Services will be live-streamed by scrolling to the bottom of this obituary page.

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