Belva McArthur Hansen

Our ninety-four-year-old starfish-thrower, family encourager, health & good eating advocate, affirmations promoter, gospel scholar, teacher extraordinaire, philanthropist, underdog champion, and much-loved friend, aunt, cousin, sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother slipped into eternity on Thursday, September 29, 2022.
Born August 9, 1928 to Zilla Harris and Heber McArthur, Belva Lou McArthur Hansen grew up on a farm in the Big Horn Basin on the outskirts of Lovell, Wyoming, where she was related to nearly everyone in town. This was not so good for dating during her teenage years, but made growing up fun because there was always a welcome gathering of family and food somewhere in town. Her nickname, Bubbles, shortened to "Bubs”, reflected her enthusiasm for life, learning, people and especially springtime. She was the life of any party.
Coming from a family of educators, Belva became an Elementary, Home Economics and English teacher. She attended Iowa State University her freshman year. She then transferred to Utah State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education and later a Master degree in English.
At Utah State in a Biology class, she met a handsome young man with a contagious laugh who also grew up on a farm, Delbert Loyal Hansen. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple August 18, 1948.
Belva delighted in using her homemaking and teaching skills with her family of four children. That early beginning grew into sixteen grandchildren and forty- six great- grandchildren. She was famous for her well-planned and executed family Christmas parties, angel food cakes, fried rabbit, abundant garden produce, cooking classes, reading and spelling lessons (often over the phone) with her grand and great-grandchildren and political discussions with anyone who read a newspaper or listened to the news.
Always interested in people and places, she delighted in exploring the world with family, visiting: Antartica, Alaska, the British Isles, China, Israel, Scandinavia, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, Turkey and Greece. Of all the places she visited, her cabin on Bear Lake was her favorite. She loved watching the lake and visiting with family and friends there.
Belva taught English at Sky View High School for nineteen years, mentoring her talented yearbook staffs to achieve National Awards year after year. Always interested in helping scholastic underachievers, Belva pioneered a reading program for high school students who had never learned to read, to not only read but achieve academic success. The reading program received state and national recognition. Belva often recognized more effective ways of doing things and had the confidence to implement them.
As an accomplished teacher, Belva served in a variety of church assignments; her Saturday nights were often spent preparing for a Cultural Refinement lesson, a youth class, or a Gospel Doctrine Sunday School class. She always found fun ways to apply gospel principles.
At eighty-six, Belva became involved and passionate about the Child and Family Support Center, later called The Family Place. She became a philanthropist and major fund raiser, involving family, friends, and anyone who would listen to her. The Family Place has become a state and nationally recognized program that is one of the most effective in the nation in fighting child abuse and teaching improved parenting skills. Donations to the family place are still encouraged by Belva. DONATE BY CLICKING HERE
Belva is survived by her four children: Meridene (Eric) Lindsey, Dell Loy (Julie) Hansen, Randy (Leslie) Hansen and Denise (Daniel) Magda and her brother Newell (Connie) McArthur.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 12:00 pm at the Smithfield North Stake Center, 155 W 400 N Smithfield, Utah. A viewing will be held at the same location on Friday, October 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and 10:30-11:30 am on Saturday, October 15 prior to the service. Internment will be in the Smithfield City Cemetery.
As a family we would like to thank Megan at Dixie Hospice in St. George and Emma at Primrose Hospice in Laketown for their loving concern and special care.
A live stream of the funeral service may be viewed through zoom. Meeting ID: 863 4472 1255 Password: Hansen.
Condolences & memories may be shared online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com