Letitia Ellen Wight Palmer

Letitia Ellen Wight Palmer, 97, passed away peacefully at the Bear River Valley Care Center, Sunday, November 18, 2007. She was born January 4, 1910, in Brigham City, Utah, the daughter of Wesley and Sylvia Bott Wight.
Mother graduated from LDS Seminary and Box Elder High School in 1928 as valedictorian, she was a member of the high school orchestra playing the violin. She attended Weber College and graduated in 1930 with a teaching degree in elementary education. Mother accepted a position in 1930 with the Box Elder County School District to teach in the Park Valley School, teaching the elementary grades. Mother met our father, Rudger Ernest Palmer in Park Valley and they were married in the Logan Temple on July 22, 1932, and stayed in Park Valley, where father worked as a blacksmith in the Century gold mines. They saved their wages and purchased a cattle ranch and continued to increase its size into a larger family operation Our father and mother loved working together side by side harvesting the crops, working with the cattle and sharing with their family a love of the land. Mother was a wonderful cook, the smell of fresh baked bread, hot meals, pastries, chocolates and peanut brittle filled our home and her sewing and painting brought us warmth and vision. Living through the depression years of the 30?s mother utilized the produce of the ranch and a large garden by canning and bottling in the fall and storing a yearly supply of food for her family. Letitia returned to teaching in public education after her family was older and taught LDS Seminary until 1975. Mother served in many LDS stake and ward callings throughout her life. Rudger passed away in March 1975 and mother fulfilled a commitment of serving a full time mission, in the California, Sacramento Mission 1976-1978, joining all of her children having served full time missions. Returning home she served as a genealogical stake extractor, and has written several family and community histories. Father and mother served together in the Boy Scouts of America receiving the Golden Spike District Award of Merit. Letitia served as Western Box Elder County Justice of the Peace for several years. Letitia is survived by her children, Jim Shirley Alpine, Utah; Paul Margaret Tremonton, Utah; Paula deceased Junelle Marvel Lind, Heyburn, Idaho; Lynn Lela Park Valley, Utah; and Layne Leilani of North Salt Lake, 29 grandchildren and 57 great grandchildren.
Friends and family may attend a viewing at Rogers and Taylor Funeral Home in Tremonton, UT, Friday, November 23, 2007 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral services will be held in the Park Valley Ward on Saturday, November 24, 2007 with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 AM and funeral services from 11:00-12:00 PM with Bishop Lynn R. Palmer officiating. Interment is at Park Valley Cemetery. Our family expresses our deepest gratitude and thanks to Dr. Chad Merrill and the staff at the Bear River Valley Care Center and the many friends and relatives for their thoughtful and loving care.