Winifred Lois Pearson

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Winifred Lois Smith Pearson

1913-2010

LAYTON a€" After 97 years of living an inspiring and full life, Winifred Lois Smith Pearson passed away peacefully at home in Layton on July 24, 2010. Born in Snowflake, Arizona, on July 10, 1913, Winifred was the youngest of ten children of John Walter and Lois Evelyn Bushman Smith. She came from a great pioneer heritage, her grandfather Jesse N. Smith being a first cousin to Joseph Smith. All her grandparents crossed the plains between 1847 and 1851. It is fitting that she was reunited with these ancestors on Pioneer Day.

Winifred met her husband Irvin Brown Pearson while pursuing her education at Brigham Young University. Married November 6, 1936 in the Salt Lake Temple, they lived in Arizona, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Hurricane, Utah before settling in Davis County. Family was of great importance to both Irvin and Winnie, and together they raised six children: Ada Carol (Hank) Steenhoek, Menifee, CA; Don (Ann) Pearson, Salt Lake City, UT; Boyd (deceased) (Loy) Pearson, Helotes, TX; Evelyn (Richard) Ripple, Layton, UT; Joyce (Val) Rollins, Layton, UT; and David (Suzanne) Pearson, Clinton, UT. Winnie was a caring and loving mother and a beloved grandmother to her 33 grandchildren and 74 great-grandchildren. Winifred and Irvin''s legacy will be carried on by a posterity numbering 146 and counting.

She was preceded in death by her husband Irvin, son Boyd, granddaughter Lisa Steenhoek and great-grandson Brigham Ripple.

Since 1995, Winifred has lived with her daughter, Evelyn, and family. A happy and grateful person, Winnie was a helper and a giver to this family for many years. It was a blessing to care for her the past 15 years.

After most of her children were in school, Winnie returned to college and obtained a teaching degree from Utah State University. Subsequently, she earned a master''s degree in education from Utah State. She taught second grade for several years before becoming a remedial reading specialist in Weber and Davis Counties. After school and in the summer, Winifred also tutored many children and a few adults in her Clearfield home. The family shares fond memories of helping with the summer tutoring. In large part due to Winnie and Irvin''s encouragement and support, all six of the children obtained bachelor degrees and four have advanced degrees.

Winifred truly enjoyed family outings and many reunions. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she served with dedication as a Relief Society President and in many other positions. She firmly believed that she was a daughter of God and was an example of righteousness to her family and others. A great supporter of missionary work, Winifred was proud of the 39 young missionaries and two couples from her family who have served full-time missions all over the world. In addition, Winnie enjoyed the recreational hobbies of reading, quilting, fishing with her husband and children, and faithfully following BYU sports. Her family remembers her good cooking including her specialties of chili beans, fried Utah trout, potato soup, homemade bread, and Sunday pot roast.

After retirement, Irvin and Winifred served as ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple and then in the St. George Temple. They also enjoyed traveling and made trips to Israel, Canada, Mexico, Italy, England and many places in the U.S.

At the age of 73, undaunted by technology, Winifred bravely learned the skill of word processing so that she could compile and edit family histories, including those collected by her sister, Sarah. Despite the difficulty of the task, her determined efforts resulted in three professionally hard-bound books of family history. She continued her writing through age 90.

The Ripple family and Winifred''s children express their gratitude to Dr. Val Rollins, her son-in-law and the Applegate Home Hospice team, who, along with much family support, have made it possible for their mother to remain in the Ripple home.

Funeral services will be held Friday, July 30, 2010, at 1 p.m. in the Forest Ridge Chapel, 1954 E. Antelope Dr., Layton. Friends may visit with family on Thursday, July 29, 2010, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist''s Layton Mortuary, 1867 N. Fairfield Road and Friday from 11:45 to 12:45 p.m. at the church. Interment, Clearfield City Cemetery.