Rheta O. Cluff

MORONI- Rheta Olsen Cluff, our beloved aunt and friend, finished her earthly journey Jan. 17, 2018.

She was born May 10, 1934, in Moroni, Utah; to John LeRoy Olsen and Ethel Eveol ine Oman Olsen, their eighth child.

She grew up in Moroni during the Great Depression and her family learned how to be careful with what they had.

Rheta graduated from Moroni High School and LDS Business College. She took the Civil Service exam and was working in Salt Lake City when she was called to serve in the Finland Helsinki mission. She served for two full years. She loved the Finnish people and continued speaking Finnish throughout her life.

She married Chester (Chet) Cluff in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple. Five years later they moved, to northern California. They adopted two beautiful boys, Eric and then Jon, who were the loves of her life.

While living in California, she operated a day care center at first caring for between nine or ten children, but when licensing was required, she could only care for six children in addition to her two.

When Chet died in 1994, she moved back to Moroni and started working at the Ephraim Co-op Mercantile. Rheta was an active member of LDS Church and served faithfully in many positions. Rheta always made sure those around her were happy, always having a joke ready to get them laughing.

Rheta was gifted at needle work, crocheting and knitting. Many of those items were provided for humanitarian services. She was a poet and loved to read.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Chester Cluff, both sons, Eric Reed Cluff and Jon William Cluff; as well as her seven siblings, Oman LeRoy Olsen, Lloyd Vern Olsen, Evelyn Olsen Orstrom, Helen Olsen Celestre, Ralph Austin Olsen, Elliot B Olsen, Ida Olsen Donaldson. She is survived by a grandson, Johnathan Cluff and 34 nieces and nephews, to whom she was a surrogate mother.

A remembrance of her life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, in the Moroni LDS Stake Center.

Family and friends may attend a visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., prior to the service at the church.

Interment will be in the Moroni City Cemetery.

Online condolences available at www.rasmussenmortuary.com.