Lela Wadsworth Johnson

Lela Wadsworth Johnson, 92, of Springville, Utah, passed away on July 15, 2022. Lela was born November 2, 1929, in the family home, in Taylor, Idaho, to Glen and Lula Rachel Starkie Wadsworth. She is the youngest of three children with a brother, Earl, and her best friend sister, Edis.

She lived in Taylor, Idaho until she was 14 years old when her parents sold the farm and moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho. Her early school years, grades 1-7, were in the Taylor school. After the move into town, she attended O.E. Bell Junior High and Idaho Falls High School, graduating in 1948. During the Summer of 1945, she learned how to play the saxophone and subsequently joined the high school band and the Pep band. She and some fellow band mates formed the Tiger Katts Dance Band and played at many dances throughout the area. She was also a member of the Dance Club of I.F.H.S. She loved and was involved in music throughout her life.

In 1947, she danced at the LDS All Church Dance Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. After the festival, she and her mother traveled to visit her mother’s family in Vernal, Utah. Her cousin arranged a blind date for her, leading Lela to meet Glendon C. Johnson. That blind date led to an eternal marriage on June 23, 1950, in the Idaho Falls Temple ­ just two months after Glendon returned home from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had two daughters, UTawna and Robin.

Lela served in many capacities in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a well-loved Primary teacher, an MIA teacher and president, a teacher in the Relief Society, a Visiting Teacher, and a Visiting Teacher Coordinator. She served as the secretary of Junior Sunday School, a Speech and Music Chairman, and president of the Ward Choir. She performed in community plays, ward and stake variety shows, and road shows. She wrote scripts and designed costumes for many of these shows. She loved sewing and sewed many stitches on many miles of fabric on a sewing machine she purchased with some World War II victory stamps. She and Glendon served as missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center. Her greatest love was being a wife, a mother, and a homemaker. She loved to cook and create the kind of family meals that were found on her table growing up on the farm ­ healthy, substantial, meat and potatoes kinds of menus. She made the biggest, fluffiest cinnamon rolls that had nuts and raisins in them. She loved sewing, genealogy, and doing floral work. She was very proud to be a third-generation member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.

Lela was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon, in July 2014; her parents, Glen and Lula; her brother, Afton Earl Wadsworth; and her sister, Edis Lea Wadsworth Thompson; and nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her daughters, UTawna (Ronald Frank Witney), Springville, and Robin (Wayne Garn Carter), Spanish Fork. Six grandchildren and their spouses, Ryan J. Witney (Verlynne), Scott R. Witney (Leanne), and Cindy Witney Christensen (Coby), Natalie Linville (Jess), Brian Matthew Carter (Meghan), and Anna Carter Geurts (Tyler). Four step-grandchildren, Michelle Lyn, Robert Wayne, James Paul, and Andrew John Carter. She has twenty-four great-grandchildren with one more due soon and four great-great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at The Ashford Assisted Living in Springville where mom has called home for the last four and half years. She made so many wonderful friends there. We also thank A Plus Hospice, for the wonderful attention and loving care they have given mom, and to us, her family, in the short time she was with them. To her nurse, Jordan D., thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We have felt your love for her.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, July 22nd at 11:00 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Spanish Highlands 3rd Ward, 761 East 400 North, Spanish Fork, Utah, where a Viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:45 am.

Lela’s final resting place will be in the Springville Historic Cemetery next to Glendon, her eternal companion and the love of her life. She has missed him so much and their reunion will probably include a slow dance to “Star Dust.”

Funeral Directors: Utah Valley Mortuary. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.uvfuneral.com.