Rhea Jane Nelson

Rhea J. Jackson Nelson
Rhea's spirit happily rejoined her loved ones who've gone before, on November 10, 2018. She died at
home in Farmington, NM at the age of 93 years old. She was born March 11, 1925 in Torrey, Utah, to
goodly parents, James Clarence Huntsman and Myrtle V. Morrill. She married John Reed Jackson Sept.
28, 1944 in the St. George Temple (Utah). Together they had 7 children: Therral (Judy Chism), Elaine
(Dale Young) Thomas (Marilyn Schurtz), Kevin (Patti Hendrix), Lynn (Pam Phillips), Jane (Douglas
MacPherson), and Verla Jackson. After their marriage, they moved to Logan, Utah where Reed attended
and graduated from Utah State Agricultural College. After graduation, they moved to Ely, Nevada where
he taught in the White Pine High School for 27 years. In 1980 they returned to Torrey, Utah for
retirement. They also spent many winters in Quartzsite, Arizona. He served as Torrey Ward Bishop from
1984 - 1989. In 1989 he and Rhea filled a one-year mission in Oroville, California. He passed away on
October 30, 2000. Rhea then served a one-year Family History mission in Salt Lake City with Katie
Chappell as her companion. Rhea married Calvin Lars Nelson in July 2002 and moved to Loa, Utah. One
of her greatest joys was serving with him as an Ordinance Worker for six years in the Manti LDS Temple.
She was also an Assistant Stake Family History Director in Wayne County for many years. She felt it was
a great privilege to keep the Wayne County Obituary book current, with a great number of ever-
increasing volumes. She also loved cataloging the Daughters of Utah Pioneers lesson manuals which
contain so many good pioneer histories. This faithful service made these stories available to the public.
She had 23 grandchildren and 47 great grandchildren.
Rhea's greatest goal in life was to be a good wife and mother. She was always a good example for her
family and posterity. She was very fond of Lars' family and posterity, as well. She enjoyed home-making,
gardening and yard work, cooking, sewing, painting landscapes, quilting, scrapbooking, reading, working
on genealogy and indexing. She was faithful in keeping a daily journal for many years. She enjoyed her
Church callings and served in almost every Church position available to women, except that of organist.
She often regretted not having any musical ability. She was the owner and operator of the Golden Fabric
and Craft Shop in Ely, Nevada for 4 years. She enjoyed many community activities including the DUP and
American Legion. She moved to Farmington, NM to live with her daughter, Elaine, after the death of
Calvin Lars Nelson in August 2015. She loved people and felt that everyone was a friend! Her family and
posterity and her membership in the LDS Church were her greatest interests in life. Her fondest desire
was that they would all be united throughout all eternity. She constantly hoped to be able to endure
faithfully to the end of her mortal life, which she did with grace and dignity.