Violet Cottrell

Violet Holland Cottrell

March 11, 1921 ~ October 28, 2017

“Together Again”

Violet Holland Cottrell passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 28, 2017 at the age of 96.

Violet was born on March 11, 1921, to Arnold Grant Holland and Violet Leavitt Wyatt in Wellsville, Utah, at the home of her grandparents, John H and Julia Ann Leavitt Wyatt.  Her earliest years were spent growing up in Garfield, Idaho. After her father decided to go back to school and become a teacher, she lived in different areas of Idaho and Utah, depending on where her father had an appointment to teach, or later, be the principal of the schools she would attend.

The family was living in Roy, Utah, when Violet met the love of her life, Howard B. Cottrell. The recently returned missionary was teaching the Sunday School class Violet attended, and at least on Howard’s side, it was love at first sight! They always laughed that Howard proposed over 100 times, but Violet was happy that he was persistent. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on March 17, 1942.

In October of that year, Howard was drafted for World War II, and the next years were hard, as they kept in touch through daily letters. Their first daughter, Joy, was born while Howard was stationed at Fort Ord, and he was finally able to return to his family the day before their 4th anniversary.

Violet’s greatest loves are Howard, her family and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in many callings, including on the Ben Lomond Stake Relief Society Board for many years, various teaching assignments, Secretary of the Ogden LDS Visitors’ Center, as an ordinance worker at the Ogden Temple, and many years working in extraction and other family history callings. She spent untold numbers of hours, not only finding her own ancestors, but also finding out about their lives and writing and sharing their stories. She was a charter member of the Old Ben Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She worked for many years at Wahlquist Junior High School and Roy High School as an aide to the physically handicapped students. For five years she was also those students’ seminary teacher, the first teacher for the physically handicapped in the Church Education System.

Violet’s sweetheart, Howard, died April 30, 1981. She has joined with him and other loved ones; her parents, her brother, Grant Wyatt Holland; son, Howard G H Cottrell; son-in-law Mark Allred; brother-in-law, Charles Francis McGuire; grandchildren, Glen Howard Cottrell, Robert Kyle Allred, James Alma Jeffs, and Caroline Jeffs. She is survived by her five children, Joy (Stephen) Jeffs, North Ogden; Faye (David) Wheeler, Snowflake AZ; Julia Allred, North Ogden; Tamara (Wayne) Barrett, Rochester, MN; and Arnold (Angela) Cottrell, San Antonio, TX.; daughter-in-law Stevie Cottrell, North Ogden; sister-in-law Helen Holland, Las Vegas NV; and sister Loralei McGuire, Bozeman, MT.  She is also survived by 32 grandchildren, 102 great-grandchildren and 27 great-great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces and many others who have known and loved her. Three great-grandchildren, Rebecca Francis, Levi Jeffs, and Jared Rowles are presently serving as missionaries for the Church.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Lindquist’s North Ogden Mortuary, 2140 N. Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Ben Lomond Cemetery, North Ogden.