Pearl LaVon Ofgren Scoville, our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 surrounded by loved ones.
Pearl was born on September 5, 1926 in Salt Lake City, UT to Adolph Severin and Ragnhild (Pettersen) Ofgren. She was the third of three girls: Violet, who was 11 years older and Lillian, who was 3 years older.
Pearl loved life, family, friends, animals, was quick to smile, was an amazing listener and always very kind. She loved her parents and sisters, and deeply loved and protected her children.
During High School, it was a difficult choice between writing letters to the servicemen or doing her homework. Occasionally, homework would win. At 21, Pearl became a member of the Tabernacle Choir, and remained in the Choir from 1947 to 1956 singing Second Alto. She went with the Choir on a 7-week European concert tour in 1955 where she sang for audiences locally and internationally, making fond memories and performing for people across Europe and Scandinavia.
Pearl met the love of her life, Keith Scoville on a blind date in October 1954. After a courtship of three weeks, they were engaged and married on February 11, 1955 in the Salt Lake City Temple. They raised their 6 children in Utah, Idaho, and finally in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Pearl, always listening and serving, quietly touched the lives of so many throughout her life. The Scoville home was always open to anyone, including friends, family acquaintances, and missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Despite the families circumstances, there always was food for anyone at anytime. She made legendary homemade bread, banana bread, scones and icing, square pizza, “red dinner” (elbow noodles with spaghetti sauce), and always had hot porridge, toast and soft boiled eggs ready for family breakfast before Seminary at 6am.
Pearl provided comfort, warmth and love even in the most challenging times. She cared for 3 young children in a hotel for weeks during the Idaho Falls flood of February 1962, and again years later in the dead of winter in Calgary when the family’s basement was deluged from a frozen main pipeline. She would walk long distances in the cold Canadian winters to get anything her sick children needed. Pearl’s greatest quality was her endearing love for family. No matter what time her children arrived home from events, she was always up waiting to listen to whatever they wished to talk about into the wee hours of the morning. This continued with her grandchildren who sometimes stayed overnight in their home. Her compassion was unending, and her quest for harmony in the home was everything. She was a true exemplar of enduring honesty and virtue, and bestowed a true appreciation of these values to her family.
When all their children had left Calgary and most lived in Utah, Keith and Pearl moved to Sandy UT. When she could no longer walk up and down stairs, she moved to her son Garry’s walk-out basement apartment. Love and kindness beamed from her presence. When she was in a care facility, she would say to her visitors, “this is my favorite aide”. She said that about each one. They loved Pearl and her happy, teasing, loving disposition. Additionally, her grandchildren and great grandchildren felt the quiet peace of her love and enjoyed many visits with Grandma. During Pearl’s last 6 weeks, she was lovingly cared for by her son and his wife, Mark and Madeleine, in their home.
An angel on earth has become an angel in heaven. We will miss her dearly, and know she has been warmly welcomed into the arms of her Heavenly Father and loved ones. God be with you, Pearl, until we meet again.
She is survived by her children Mark (Madeleine), Garry (Heidi), Laninina (Rakaipaka) Puriri, Paul and Robert. She was very proud of her 23 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
Pearl is preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Violet (Fred) Stoker and Lillian (Bill) Eckles, her grandson Adam, and her great-grandchildren Tyler and Tatum. In addition, her family is still grieving the loss of her husband who passed three months earlier, and her dear daughter, Moana (John) Urry who passed just ten days earlier.
The family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the caregivers, healthcare and hospice workers, ward members, and friends who showed so much compassion and love.
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 15, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Dr. Millcreek, Utah. A viewing will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. on Friday morning prior to the services. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Dr. Millcreek, Utah.
To listen to the funeral please click on Listen to Funeral under donations.
