Eileen P. Lighthall

Eileen Purdue Lighthall

NORTH OGDEN a€" Eileen Purdue Lighthall passed away peacefully, Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at Emeritus Estates, North Ogden, Utah, where she resided the last five months. Born to William Charles Purdue and Esther Ann Dransfield Purdue at their home in Ogden, Utah on June 21, 1922, she was the eldest child of the family having a sister Beverly Purdue Wilson (deceased) and a brother Thomas E. Purdue (deceased.)

Eileen attended school in Ogden and graduated from Ogden High School. She was interested in typing and business courses in high school. She also attended Weber State College.

She met her husband, Donald E. Lighthall, while she was on a trip to California with a friend. After corresponding by mail with the handsome Air Force Cadet, they were married in Greenville, South Carolina on August 31, 1943. She followed her husband through months of training throughout the south until he was sent overseas for the duration of World War II. While he was overseas she waited for him at her parents'' home in Ogden till December of 1945 when he returned.

Her husband chose a career in the military as a flight officer. Eileen made her home wherever the Air Force sent them and made sure her children were involved in church, school and community activities. She volunteered as a Red Cross Gray Lady for many years. She made many friends during her husband''s career in the Air Force and corresponded with many of them until this last year.

She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In her youth she participated in plays and programs for camping. She served in Primary, Mutual and Relief Society programs and was a Visiting Teacher for more than 50 years.

She was a good neighbor and friend and loved being a mother and grandmother, especially a missionary grandmother. She supported her children and grandchildren in everything they did. She always knew who their friends were and made them welcome in her home.

She is survived by one daughter, Barbara (Robert) Mathis and one son, Jay (Nan) Lighthall, 7 grandchildren, Jason and, MaryAnn Mathis, Brian, Brady, Dirk, and Skylar Lighthall and Stephanie (Lighthall) Robison, 14 great grandchildren, a sister in law Hazel B. Purdue and nieces and nephews.

A son, Alan (Jana Lynn Godfrey) preceded her in death in 1981 along with two of their three children, Nathan and Rebekah, as the result of a horrific car accident. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Donald E. Lighthall, her sister Beverly Purdue Wilson, her brother Tom Purdue and both of her parents.

Funeral Services will be Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist''s Ogden Mortuary, 3048 Washington Boulevard, Ogden, Utah.

Family and friends may call at the mortuary on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Interment will be at Lindquist''s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Boulevard, Ogden, Utah, following the services.

The family is grateful for the thoughtful, loving care given to her by the Emeritus Estates, of North Ogden staff and for the thoughtful, merciful help of Vistacare Hospice. We can pay for some things, but the care and tenderness she received came beyond price, for this we are in their debt.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Vistacare Foundation, 4800 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 3500, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Or you may complete their online donation form at: www.vistacare.com/giving/foundation/index.php

Email condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com