Erma Ruth Maughan Mitchell

Erma Ruth Maughan Mitchell
3-31-1918 – 9-22-2011 Our mother, grandmother and great grandmother left her mortal existence Thursday evening. Mother was born on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1918 in Logan, Utah, to Eldora Johnson and Howard John Maughan. At that time the Johnson and Maughan families were living in Daniel, Wyoming. At 18 months of age she accompanied her family to New Zealand where her father had accepted a position at the Church College. When she was three, the family returned to the United States, stopping in Tahiti. The family settled in Preston, Idaho. She met Dad, Edgar Bentley Mitchell, Jr. at USAC. Dad had served his first mission in Tahiti, and it became an important part of their bonding. They were married in the Logan Temple, May 27, 1936. They moved to the family farm in Hansel Valley. During these years, Edgar, Eleanor and Martha were born. In late 1944 Dad and Mom accepted a call to serve as Mission President in Tahiti. He left immediately but the family had to wait for future sailings. They were reunited in Papeete in 1945. Margaret was born there. Suzanne and David were born after their release and return to Logan. Tahiti continued to be part of the family's life. Dad accepted further assignments for the church. He outfitted and sailed a yacht to Tahiti for use by the mission. He translated the Doctrine and Covenants and the Temple ordinances into Tahitian. Mother assisted and supported him in this work. After Dad's death, following a plane crash in December 1959, Mother continued to manage the Mitchell Motel until its sale. After the sale, she moved to Salt Lake City. Mother exhibited courage and faith throughout the remainder of her life. She accepted a call to accompany the first group of Tahitian saints as they traveled to the New Zealand Temple. She served her own mission to the Tahitian Temple at the time of its dedication. After her release, she served in the Salt Lake Temple. Late in life she met and married Bert Hales Cowlishaw. They moved to Orangeville, Utah. After his death she returned to Salt Lake City. She was preceded in death by Dad, a son Edgar, her parents, brothers Roy Howard and Reed Maughan; sisters Helen Walker, Nola Parry and Dora Chidester; brother and sister-in-law Edward P. And Kathryn Cliff. She is survived by a daughter-in-law Anita Mitchell; daughters Eleanor T. Michael Bishop, Martha Gene McDaniel; Margaret; Suzanne Brent Romig and son David. Also surviving are 17 grandchildren 41 great grandchildren; a brother D. Gordon Maughan; brothers-in-law Jack Parry and John Chidester, nieces, nephews, cousins and Tahitian missionaries. A funeral for family and friends will be held in Logan, Utah at the Nelson Funeral Home on Thursday, September 29 at 1p.m. Burial will be next to Dad in the Logan Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com . Donations and remembrances can be directed to the Perpetual Education or the Missionary Programs of the LDS Church.