Tamara Leavitt Nelson

Tamara Leavitt Nelson was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho on July 16, 1970 to George Marvin Leavitt Jr. and Annette Ward Leavitt. She was the second of seven children in a family of five daughters and two sons. Tamara lived with her family in Reedley, California from 1971 - 1975. Her family then moved to Madera, California, where she spent most of her childhood. Tamara attended Howard Elementary School through 8th grade. In high school, Tamara was on the swim team, in various choirs, and was in the high school play, Charlie Brown. She graduated from Madera High School in 1988 and went on to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Tamara was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served throughout her life in many capacities. Tamara served a full time mission in the Phoenix, Arizona mission and in Salem in the Eugene Oregon Mission from 1990 - 1991. She served the LDS deaf communities there and learned American Sign Language while on her mission. A few years later, Jonathan returned home from his mission. The two started dating and were soon engaged, getting married on December 17, 1994.

Jonathan was the love of Tamara’s life and her eternal companion. Tamara and Jonathan grew up just down the street from one another for many of their school years, a beginning that would eventually lead to a lifelong love story. Before they married, Tamara started working at Simplot and she and Jonathan lived in Fresno for a few years before moving their small family to Pennsylvania in 2000. They moved back to Madera in 2002 and at the beginning of 2003, Tamara started working for the school district as a substitute ASL interpreter. In 2006, Tamara started a full time position at Howard Elementary School working as an ASL interpreter with a classroom of 4th - 8th graders. The family remained in Madera until 2020 when they moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Together they built a loving home and raised seven sons: Nathaniel, Stetson, Colt, Luke, Rulon, Shane, and little Seth, who passed away in utero. Tamara deeply loved her family and dedicated her life to caring for them. She also adored her two grandsons, and her home was filled with treasured photographs and memories of the time she spent with them. After moving to Phoenix, she often spent school vacations driving back to the Fresno/Madera area to visit family and loved ones.

Her boys will remember Tamara as someone who brought comfort during difficult moments and joy during the good ones. She was the kind of mother who would seek out her children when they were hurting, sit beside them, remind them she loved them, and help them feel peace again. She taught her sons how to cook and bake, how to do laundry, how to care for a home and how to serve others. With six active boys, Tamara spent countless hours driving to practices, attending games, and cheering from the sidelines. Whether her sons won or lost, she was always there afterward with a hug and words of encouragement. Through every stage of their lives, she remained a constant source of love, support, and guidance.

Tamara Leavitt Nelson was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend whose life was centered on faith, family, compassion, and love. To those who knew her best, she was a peacemaker, and someone who always knew the right words to say. Above all, Tamara taught her family about Jesus Christ and His gospel. Her home was filled with pictures of Christ, and she led by quiet example, teaching those around her how to love, forgive, and accept others as the Savior would.

Tamara will also be remembered for her quick wit, intelligence, compassion, and graciousness. She had a special gift for maintaining lifelong friendships and staying connected with the people she loved. Tamara loved to read and was always reading or listening to a book. During the years when the Twilight books and movies were popular, Tamara and a close group of friends would attend each new movie release together and then go out to dinner afterward, humorously speaking to one another only in quotes from the books and films. Those who knew her cherished her sense of humor and the joy she brought into everyday life.

Tamara had a wonderful gift for creativity, pouring her time and talent into crocheting beautiful baby blankets to give to others. Her deep love for children shone brightly throughout her life, especially during her many years teaching and leading the primary children at her church. She held a truly special place in her heart for the tiniest ones, always eager to dote on her infant nieces, nephews, and the babies of her friends.

She was a woman of wisdom and kindness, deeply caring toward her family, friends, church members, coworkers, and anyone who crossed her path. Tamara was always true to herself and always real. Tamara was known for her beauty and elegance. She was naturally photogenic and loved dressing up, often wearing her favorite pearl necklace and earrings.

From an early age, Tamara loved music and possessed a beautiful singing voice. Tamara participated in both performance and jazz choir in high school and in her teens sang with a private choir in Fresno called Young Inspirations. She learned to sing with her family, singing at home and in rounds on family car trips. Tamara sang solos and duets at church and school as a child and teen and into her adult years. Tamara loved listening to music of all kinds, especially country music and 1980s music, and she brought warmth, laughter, and life wherever she went.

Tamara had a fun and adventurous personality. From childhood, she was famously competitive and seemed to win nearly every game she played with her brothers and sisters. That competitiveness carried into adulthood when she discovered Bananagrams, a game she brought along on sisters’ trips and family gatherings, astonishing everyone with her incredible vocabulary, spelling skills, and lightning-fast hands.

She also loved trying new things, whether it was tasting escargot on a family cruise or enjoying new experiences with the people she loved. Tamara was a talented cook and baker. She crocheted beautiful baby blankets for her great-nieces and nephews, her own grandchildren and friends’ babies. One of Tamara’s favorite places was the beach. From a young age, she loved boogie boarding and swimming in the cold Pacific waters along California’s Central Coast, especially in Cayucos and Morro Bay. Later in life, she continued that tradition with her own children through family trips to Pismo Beach.

Tamara was preceded in death by her father, George Marvin Leavitt Jr., and her son Seth. She is survived by her beloved husband, Jonathan; her six sons, Nathaniel, Stetson(& Kassie), Colt(& Miranda), Luke, Rulon and Shane; two grandsons, Asher and Connor; her mother, Annette; four sisters, Carol, Rebecca, Michele and Adele; two brothers, Aaron and Kurt; and countless extended family members and dear friends who loved her deeply.

Her legacy of faith, love, compassion, and devotion to family will continue to live on in the lives of all those she touched.