Valynn Jorgensen Obituary (1935 - 2023)

Valynn Anderson Jorgensen St. George, Utah- Valynn Anderson Jorgensen, 87, passed away February 21, 2023 at her home in St. George, Utah surrounded by loved ones. She died from complications of breast cancer that we thought she had beaten 25 years ago, but it reared its ugly head again 2 years ago. The stress of chemo was too much for her charitable heart and it weaken her lungs. She fought the good fight, endured to the end, and graduated from this life with honors. She was born on July 16th, 1935, in Mohrland, Emery County, Utah to Parley Pratt Anderson and Elda Groa Bearnson. She was sealed to her eternal companion Phillip Mac Jorgensen on November 10,1955, in the Manti, LDS Temple, Manti, Utah. In 1938 the young Valynn's family moved three miles north to the little mining town of Hiawatha, Utah. Attending Hiawatha Elementary was where she found her love of learning. In 1943, the family moved to Castle Dale, Utah, where in third grade she met her future eternal companion (he was in fourth grade!), and where she graduated as Valedictorian of South Emery High School, class of 1953. Their group of friends had many fun adventures together. Valynn was always very proud that she was a Daughter of the Utah Pioneers from Castle Dale. Wherever she went she proudly declared she was from Castle Dale and inevitably found many others that shared the same heritage. Many of her lifelong friendships were made during her years there, Valynn furthered her education by attending Brigham Young University. She graduated with an Education/Teaching degree 1957, having finished most of her classwork in just 3 years. While attending BYU she lived with her older brother Garth, caring for her nephews to pay for room and board. While on BYU campus, she became reacquainted with a Castle Dale boy named Phil, and they were soon married. She and her recently graduated husband moved to California for work in 1956 before returning to Utah in 1959 to make their home in West Jordan, Utah. They made more lifelong friends there. In West Jordan she was able to start her teaching career. She taught for 30, years eventually working at seven different schools in the Granite and Jordan school districts. She liked to say she started in kindergarten and worked her way up to fifth grade, though she skipped fourth grade to be a district and media specialist. Fifth grade was her favorite. She loved kids and they loved her. Valynn was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many different church callings including Stake Relief Society President, Primary President (twice - once at age 80!), and her favorite, which she did for many, many years: Gospel Doctrine Instructor. She had an amazing and deep testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the Savior Himself. She loved temple work and genealogy and spent many hours researching and writing histories. Mostly she loved and cared for her eternal family so deeply and so well and was so proud of all of us. In 1996, Phil and Valynn retired to St. George, Utah where they spent the next 25 years entertaining 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, and she eventually became known as Grandma Great. She continued her life's work as a teacher even into retirement, whether in Sunday school, volunteering at a local elementary school, instructing the local chapter of The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Temple worker, or a Family History Specialist. She loved to travel and was able to visit, to name a few, the Holy Lands, Egypt, and Europe, her favorites being ancestor-seeking trips to the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Iceland where she met and had dinner with the President of Iceland. She and Phil loved to travel, go on long car rides (we called them "grandpa roads"), and explore everywhere. Many more adventures and lifelong friends were made during this time in St. George. She is survived by her three children: Jeff (Jerrilynn), Susan (Kraig), and Eric (Tamra); as well as her brother, Dean (Jackie); her brother-in-law, Bill (May); grandchildren: Rhiannon (Brett), Diedra (Eric), Devin (Lindsey), Kemarie, Margaret, Andrew, Aleisha (Kelly), Rhett (Heidie), Jens (Abigail), Wynn; and great grandchildren: Gage, Stockton, Oaklee, Shydra, Reed, Max, Beckam, Kate, Daphne, Sammie, Joseph, and Evelynn. She was preceded in death by her husband, Phil; brothers: Garth (Dorothy) and LaMar (Donna); sisters-in-law: Geri, Norma (Vern) and brother-in-law: Jim (Bonnie). An open house will be held to celebrate her life at the Southgate 2nd Ward House from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023. A Celebration of a Life well lived will be Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 1 p.m. in Castle Dale, Utah at Fausett Mortuary. 720 North Center. Interment will follow the funeral services in the Castle Dale City Cemetery. To honor our "energizer bunny" please plant a tree or donate to cancer research. Give your family a hug. We love you, Mom. We honor you and are grateful for our memories to fill our hearts. You made everyone flock to you and made them feel welcome and you loved and entertained them. You are truly one of a kind and the best mom, grandma, friend, sister, aunt, and wife we could have ever asked for. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Pine View Mortuary 435-986-4222. Please visit our website www.pineviewmortuary.com for full obituary and funeral service listing.