Winona Thorderson

Winona Thorderson

Winona was born in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada on June 28, 1919, to Justus Earl Seely and Rhoda Clegg Nelson. She grew up in Glenwood, Alberta were her father had a small farm. Due to crop failures in the early part of the Depression era, the family was forced to move to Emery county Utah where her father had been born and had better employment opportunities.

After graduating from Central High School in Castle Dale Utah, She married Parley Thorderson and they moved to Lava Hot Springs Idaho where Parley taught at the High School. Their three oldest children were born in Lava Hot Springs.

In 1942, the young family moved to Kaysville, Utah and eventually welcomed three more children to their brood. Winona would call the Kaysville area her home for the next 79 years. Parley taught English and Music at Davis High School. He eventually received his master’s degree and switched to being a Guidance Counselor.

Winona worked various jobs to supplement their income, and in 1951 was hired as a keypunch operator at Hill Air Force Base. Her strong work ethic and intelligence helped her work her way up through the ranks. Computer systems were in their infancy and Winona was very involved in switching the Air Force supply system over to this new technology. She retired in 1974 as a Supply Systems Analyst.

Her husband, Parley passed away in 1972. Winona was a widow for 49 years but loved her life and lived it to the fullest. She walked at least two miles a day until she was 92. She travelled extensively and loved keeping her mind sharp by playing cards and games with her friends and family. She was a member of several bridge clubs and was a member of The Athena Club, a Kaysville literary club, for over 75 years.

She was very active in the LDS church and served in many positions. She served in the beginning of the computerization of family history records as the Stake Family History Supervisor, and also served in various roles for the Relief Society and the Young Women’s organization. She served two missions for the LDS church. The first was in the Lansing Michigan Mission as a genealogy missionary, and the second as a proselytizing missionary in the Macon Georgia Mission.

Winona lived on her own up to the age of 99. After falling a few times, she reluctantly agreed to move to the Sunridge Assisted Care Facility in Layton. Even at 102, Winona was sharp as a tack, read extensively, and stayed up on current events.

Those that preceded her in death were her husband Parley E. Thorderson, her three sisters  and brother Rita Allred, Nadine Anderson, Earlene Agrifolio, and Calvin E. Seely. Her oldest son John Richard Thorderson, all three of her daughters Nedra Overstreet, Sheila Steiner, and Connie Lowder and Connie’s husband Grant Lowder. Also, two grandchildren Jeffery Overstreet and Nanette Steiner.

Surviving her are two sons, Zachary (Donna) Thorderson and Kimball (Claudia) Thorderson, daughter in law Carol Thorderson, son in laws Leroy Overstreet and Devon Steiner. She also leaves behind 19 grandchildren, 53 great grandchildren, and 46 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 23, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Layton West Stake Center, 1000 W. 505 S. Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit with family Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Kaysville Mortuary, 400 N. Main St. Kaysville, Utah and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church prior to the service.

Funeral services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by using this link: https://youtu.be/l6xnOxIE1aU

Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery.

Condolences may be shared at  www.lindquistmortuary.com.