Lois was born in Los Angeles, California, on August 18, 1939, to Veldon and Margery Hilton Bell. Her family relocated to Morgan, Utah, when she was in the second grade. She was the third child of four, having two older brothers, Veldie and Don, and her younger sister, Sharon. The kids thought they had the world by the tail when they arrived at their new home. There were only a handful of homes, as they didn’t live in the city proper, but several miles out of town in Round Valley. They had miles of open rolling hills to play in and she loved living there. She was a bit of a tomboy growing up and enjoyed playing softball with her friends. She also enjoyed playing basketball at school and with her brothers.
She married Mardean Whitney on January 30, 1959, and they were later sealed in the Jordan Valley Temple. In Mardean, she found a partner who shared many of her same interests, particularly fishing, enjoying the outdoors, and road trips. They put many miles on his ’57 Chevy traveling around Utah, trips to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and the western United States. Once they had children, they would pull a small utility trailer behind to hold their camping equipment. Then they bought a truck with a sleeper shell to make it easier to pack for the many fishing and camping trips.
When they became grandparents, they graduated to a camping trailer. They enjoyed taking the grandchildren on many grand adventures in this trailer. Then they made their epic adventure and pulled the trailer all the way to Alaska. Dad planned the perfect vacation and Mom loved absolutely every stop they made, all the wildlife they saw, and enjoyed the fishing! Most of all, they enjoyed sharing part of the trip with their grandson, Matt.
They so enjoyed travelling, they would plan a vacation for each grandchild when they finished their freshman year. They went to places like Alaska, Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Disneyland, The Redwoods, and Oregon Coast. These vacations were enjoyed by all and each grandchild felt very cherished.
They were able to drive cross country to the East Coast with her parents, but only traveled by plane twice, to Florida and Hawaii.
Mom loved being a mother to her two daughters, Cory and Sheri. She was involved in any activity that involved them. She planned school activities and carnivals, loved making Halloween costumes, she taught primary, was camp leader, and coached the girls in volleyball, basketball, softball, and track meets. She also became the neighborhood mom, tending children while their moms went to work.
When she became a grandma, she once again became the sitter allowing for her girls to work and they were blessed to have safe and loving care for their children. She even cared for the children when they were ill. She watched her five grandchildren for many years, and the sixth grandchild a few years later. If only she had charged for her service, and not spoiled these grandchildren, she could have had a much wealthier way of life.
Mom always said she had no regrets and enjoyed almost every minute taking care of her grandchildren. She must have really felt that way, because when the great grandbabies came along, she tended these children also. She must have been a master caretaker because she also helped care for her own mother in her later years, and also cared for Dad through his back problems and heart problems. Finally, at age 79, she had to tell her grandson she could no longer take care of newborn babies.
She was able to spoil the grandchildren and continued to support them in all their activities. She never missed a soccer or baseball game, a swim meet, a gymnastic meet, a cheer competition, Halloween parade, or award presentation. She was so proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved them beyond measure.
Because of her love for children and the youth, she influenced and developed many young people in her life.
Somehow, she found time for her other interests to include bowling, which she finally had to give up at age 79, reading, yard work, and later in life following family on Facebook. Throughout her life she cared for the elderly, her neighbors, and her family. She will be dearly missed by many.
She is survived by her daughters Cory (Dan) Ervin and Sheri (Jonathon Mark) McFall; six grandchildren, Brandi Frandsen, Loree Fowlks, Matt Ervin, Amanda Huff, Preston and Whitney McFall; nine great-grandchildren, Boston, Brityn, Oaklie, Emma, Jaymasen, Kenley, Brooklyn, Kimball, and Jaxson; her sister Sharon (Leon) Cox; her sisters-in-law, Janet Bell, Pauline Groesbeck, Karen Whitney, Darlene Whitney, Charlene (Tom) Cornell, and Leanne Whitney; many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her brothers Veldie and Don, her father-in-law and mother-in-law Frank and Vilate Whitney, brothers-in-law Garth and Ranell.
Visitation will be held at the LDS Oxford Ward, 3671 South Oldham Street (4180 West), West Valley, on Tuesday, April 20 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Funeral services will follow on Wednesday, April 21, at 11 am, with visitation from 9:30 am to 10:30 am prior to the service. Interment will be at Valley View Memorial Park, 4391 West 4100 South, West Valley. Masks are required and social distancing encouraged. As always, during this Pandemic, we are limited to the number of attendees in the building at the same time.
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