Josephine I. Baggs

Josephine I. Baggs

NORTH OGDEN - Josephine Isabell Young Baggs, of North Ogden, Utah, passed away peacefully of causes incident to age, on Sunday, September 30, 2007. She was the wife of Edwin Kent Baggs, mother of Gaylene (David J.) Vernieuw, Lanell (Max B.) Rabner, Janie Carroll, Jerelyn (Mitch) Wilcox, Darcelle (Randy) Housley, David K. (Vicky) Baggs, Roger K. Baggs (deceased), Darren J. (Gail) Baggs, Cory E. (Julie) Baggs, and Kevin L. (Ellen) Baggs, grandmother of 17 grandsons, 14 granddaughters, five great- grandsons, and five great granddaughters.

Josephine was born June 24, 1924 in Ringgold Township, Jefferson, Pennsylvania to Russell Victor and Vista Viola Minich Young, the sixth of eight children. Born at home on the farm and raised in a large, loving family, Mother learned the value of work and education at an early age. She drove a tractor on the farm and at age 16 drove regularly from Pennsylvania to New York to pick up fruit baskets for Grandpa Young.

She graduated from Punxsutawney High School in 1943 and in 1944 traveled to Youngstown, Ohio where she worked in a manufacturing plant making bomb shackles. During this time Mother also attended two summer sessions at Clarion State Teacher''s College, with the goal of becoming a High School Teacher. In 1945 she was contacted by the Punxsutawney School District Superintendent and asked to teach in a small rural K-8 school, as there were not enough certified teachers available to teach. So Mother began her long, distinguished, teaching career in that small one-room school in western Pennsylvania, where she taught from 1945 to 1946. In 1946 she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, graduating in 1949 with a BA degree in Elementary Education. Years later, she returned to BYU, graduating in 1970 with a Masters of Education, with a remedial reading emphasis.

Mother was truly a master teacher of both young and old. In her first year of teaching she taught a boy who was repeating the 8th grade for the third time, because he had to pass a test to move on to the county high school. Under Mother''s most capable guidance, the boy passed the test and was accepted into high school.

In 1946 Mother met Kent Baggs on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. Josephine and Kent were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 16, 1949 and began their large family shortly thereafter.

Mother joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 7, 1941 and remained an active member of the church throughout her life, serving in many capacities. Mother and Dad also served two missions in the Tahiti, Papeete Mission, from 1987 to 1989 and 1991 to 1993.

Family history and temple work were Mother''s great love, next to the gospel and her family. She devoted thousands of hours over her lifetime to researching and connecting families together, then willingly sharing her research with dozens of other researchers.

Mother slipped quietly away surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, amid much outpouring of laughter and love. She was preceded in death by an infant son, her parents, two brothers and two sisters.

A celebration of her life will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the North Ogden 17th Ward Chapel, 386 E. Elberta Dr.

Friends may call at Lindquist''s North Ogden Mortuary, 2140 North Washington Blvd., on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday at the Ward Chapel from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.

Interment, Ogden City Cemetery.

Mother''s tenderness, kindness, wry sense of humor, and genuine love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and her family, will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

The family wishes to express gratitude to the Alpine Hospice who tended so lovingly to our Mother. However, our greatest appreciation and love go to Cory, Julie, Nicole, Heather, and Ryan Baggs for their complete and unwavering dedication to ensuring Mother''s last days were days of peace, love, and family togetherness.

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