Margaret Okelberry

Margaret Elsie Johnson Okelberry, 86, passed away Friday, May 28, 2021 from complications due to age. She was born on November 20, 1934 in Everett, Massachusetts to Oscar E and Elsa M Pettersson Johnson, their only daughter. She grew up in Providence, Rhode Island until her family drove cross-country to Salt Lake City, Utah in August 1943.

Margaret graduated from Granite High School, attended BYU, and received a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. While attending BYU, she met her sweetheart in the Swedish Club on campus.

Margaret married Otis Jack Okelberry on August 24, 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple.

She taught school through Granite School District until she eventually started her own preschool in her home. She touched the lives of so many little preschool children who lovingly called her Mrs. O.   Dad would help her after he retired from teaching and the two of them enjoyed working together for a few years until they stopped having the preschool in 1996.

Margaret was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served in many capacities in Primary, Young Women’s, and Relief Society both in her ward and stake. She and dad were able to serve a mission in the Stockholm Sweden Temple from April 1999 to October 2000. They also served together as ordinance workers at the Jordan River Temple.

She enjoyed music and singing.  She loved singing in choirs and was often asked to sing solo parts.  She enjoyed learning about her family’s history in Sweden and genealogy. She traveled to Sweden with her dad just so they could go visit family and go to cemeteries for her genealogy.  Mom loved traveling and often went on cruises with her brother Donald and sister in law, Sharon.  They would often go someplace fun once a year. Our dad loved camping and she liked it more when we got a tent trailer.  So many memories of traveling to most all the states in America and especially Utah.

Mom was known as the carrot fairy as she’d walk around all her kids and the cousins and make them eat a carrot or ten. She was always reading something and enjoyed sharing books with family members once she was done.  Growing up, she made a lot of our clothes.  Especially for the girls.  She was really good at it and we always looked so nice. Mom loved the theatre and arts.  She’s gone to the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City every year since the 1970’s.  She enjoyed attending the symphony and Hale and CenterPoint Theaters.  She enjoyed a good garden and loved being surrounded by beautiful flowers.  She enjoyed being around family in whatever they were doing the very most.

Survived by her children, Tracy Simmons, Layton; Scott (Janet), Wellsville: Wade (Lisa), Syracuse; Lori Palmer (Dale), Clearfield; eight grandchildren with Elder Jake Okelberry serving in the Texas Austin Mission; and 2 great-grandchildren. Her brothers Donald (Sharon), Syracuse and Dale, Salt Lake; and sister-in-law Coleen Okelberry Simmons, St. George. Proceeded in death by her husband Jack, brother, Robert Johnson and son-in-law Jeff Simmons.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 11:00 am at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah. Friends and family may visit Friday from 6 pm to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary.

Services will be live streamed and may be viewed by going to www.lindquistmortuary.com and scrolling to the bottom of Margaret’s obituary page.Margaret Elsie Okelberry

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton.

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