Louise Symes

Agnes Louise Adkins Symes

Agnes Louise Adkins Symes passed away on December 24, 2021 at the Mount Ogden Care Center in Ogden, Utah at the age of 85.

Louise was born January 18, 1936 in Ogden to John (Bus) and Ella (Robertson) Adkins. She was the oldest of nine children. She grew up working on the family mink ranch in Coalville. She graduated from North Summit High School in 1954. She was close to many of her graduating class and stayed in contact with them over the years. She made sure they had regular class reunions and organized many of those reunions. She also sent birthday and Christmas cards to family members every year until she was no longer able to do so.

Louise married Reggie Saxton,  on June 14, 1954 and together they had 5 children. They later divorced. She married Merlin Symes on October 21, 1970. They moved to Florida where Louise attended and graduated from St. Petersburg College. After they moved back to Utah, she took honors classes at Weber State University and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. She also attended many institute classes, many with her mother Ella, from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She graduated twice from institute. Merlin and Louise later divorced.

Louise had a strong spirit and always insisted on looking on the bright side of things and championing for the underdog. She had an appreciation and love for fine chocolates from See’s Candies. Louise’s favorite flowers were roses, and she took great pride in her rose bushes in her yard on Woodridge Drive in Layton, Utah.

She worked various jobs throughout her life including as a manager at European health spa in Florida and The Costa Mesa Spa in Riverside, CA. She also worked as the secretary for Mountain Coin Distributing in Utah.

She absolutely loved the Utah Shakespeare Festival and served as an area rep for the festival from 1976 to 2017. Her nickname was The Lady of the Lake. She introduced her love of history and the arts to her grandchildren, who she loved dearly, and many of them attended the Festival in Cedar City with her over the years. She would read poetry to them as bedtime stories. She was a devoted grandma and enjoyed baking cookies with and checking in with her grandkids regularly.

She enjoyed spending time with her family at the cabin at Bear Lake where they would all get together and practice songs for the annual 4th of July celebration and then stop for her favorite raspberry shake. She loved taking her grandchildren to visit Grandpa Louis Saxton,  Dick, Annie, and sweet Evie. She loved her family so much and they will miss her tremendously.

Louise is proceeded in death by both of her parents, John and Ella Adkins, her brothers John Adkins,  Jr., Frank Adkins, her son, Steven Saxton, her ex-husband, Merlin Symes, and a nephew, Cameron Adkins.

She is survived by her other four children, Sharon Saxton, of Utah, Jeffrey Saxton, of Utah, Susan Garcia (Mario), of California, and John Saxton, of Hawaii. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, one brother, five sisters, and many nieces and nephews, including a very special niece, Shawnee (Adkins) Cooper, of Layton, who has provided much care and help to Louise over the several years.

The family expresses sincere gratitude for the care that she received at Mt. Ogden Care Center and Atlas Hospice; especially for Korie and Michelle.

Funeral services will be held Monday, January 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit with family Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary.

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton.