Joy Monson

JOY ELAINE HECKMANN MONSON

1926-2019

Joy Elaine Heckmann Monson was born November 17, 1926 in Salt Lake City, Utah and died April 25, 2019 in Bountiful, Utah.  At the start of the Great Depression of 1929, her family had to leave their comfortable home in Magna and move to an isolated farm in Providence, Utah. Life was physically demanding on the farm. During the summer the family woke up at 5 a.m. to pick the fruit and berries.  Despite the hardships of farm life, Mom’s parents were not bitter and taught Mom to pray, serve in callings and pay tithing.

Mom loved school and graduated from South Cache High. She spoke at graduation as one of the valedictorians.  Some of the male students left before graduation to serve in the military in World War II. She joined the Cadet Nurse Corps after graduation and the government paid for her education.  Her classes were at the University of Utah and her clinical training was at LDS Hospital, where her daughter Kim, has been a Nursing Supervisor for a number of years.

In September 1949, she had graduated from the University of Utah, then left home to serve an LDS mission in Eastern Canada.  During her mission, Mom was transferred to the London, Ontario District where Dad was also serving.  They fell in love before Dad completed his mission in September 1950.  Mom was released from her mission in March 1951 and they were married June 7, 1951 in the Logan Temple.  Mom worked at LDS Hospital and Dad completed his classes at the University of Utah; then graduated in March 1952.  Conrad and Craig were born 2 months later in May.

They left Utah that same year and Dad received his Master’s Degree at New York University and worked in Manhattan for the next 18 years.  They made lifelong friends in the East where Karla, Kim, Ryan and Sean were born.  When Mom was 40, she began her Master’s Degree in Education at Patterson State College in New Jersey.  During her second year of classes, she was expecting Sean.  She completed her student teaching in December 1969 and graduated in 1970.  When they left New Jersey to return to Utah, Mom did not want to leave their friends.  They had supported each other serving in the church and raising their children while their extended families lived in the West.

Moving to Bountiful was a blessing for Mom.  She again made lifelong friends in her neighborhood and ward.  Her children met their future spouses in the ward, at BYU, or due to other positive events resulting from their move.  Mackie joined our family when he was 11 years old.  My mother’s father came to live with my parents for 8 years when he was 89 years old.  During the same time, Kim’s husband died and she returned home with her 4 children.  Mom nurtured them as lovingly as she had nurtured her own six children.

Once their family was more independent, Mom and Dad served their missions.  First, a Spanish speaking proselyting mission to El Paso Texas.  Then a temple mission in the Dominican Republic and finally, a temple mission in Nauvoo.

Mom served her ward and her family with all her heart, might, mind and soul. Mom’s life will be a hard act to follow.  She showed us by example how to pray, to love learning, to serve in every calling, to be less critical, more patient and to treasure our siblings.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of almost 68 years, Richard, and is survived by 6 children, 25 grandchildren and more than 50 great grandchildren

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Mueller Park 3rd Ward Chapel, 1825 S. 850 E. Bountiful, where family and friends may visit from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to the service.  Interment to follow at Lakeview Memorial Estates.   Arrangements under the direction of Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary.