Edith B Sovelius

On Jan 3rd, 2016, Edith B Sovelius continued on her journey passing from this life to the next. At 90 years and 2 months she had seen and experienced many changes in the world around her.

She was born to Henry Nebeker and Hulda Terace (Barnhurst) Marshall on Oct. 28th, 1925 in the small southern Utah town of Panguitch, but grow up in Hatch, Utah. Hatch was a place that she had many fond memories and wanted to return home to in later years. She was the 4th of 5 children born to Henry and Hulda who were raised during the trying times of the Great Depression. It was during this time she learned thrift, fortitude and perseverance, traits that would serve her well throughout her life.

In her middle teens she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, living near Westminster College where her father was the maintenance engineer. She graduated from South High School in 1946 and would attend courses at Westminster College. Being of an adventurous spirit she joined Western Union as a teletype operator in the mid 1940s and was assigned to positions in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR and Los Angeles, CA. It was in southern California that she met her future husband of 47 years, Paul Edward Sovelius on the pier in Santa Monica, CA.

Edith and Paul were married in Salt Lake City, Utah in March of 1948, their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. They would have 3 children, Paul, Brace and Daniel. In August of 1959 along with her family she moved into their new home in White City Township, Sandy, Utah where she would spend most of the rest of her life.

Besides her family Edith had two great loves, gardening and music. When she moved to White City their site of land was a mere sandy lot. Soon it would blossom into the Garden of Edith, growing strawberries, green peppers, tomatoes, pears, apples, apricots and other fruits and vegetables. Many of the fruits and vegetables she would can and her and her family would enjoy them during the winter months. Along with the fruits and vegetables there grew roses, flowers and many different trees and shrubs.

Music was her second love in life, a love that started in childhood and continued throughout her life. She shared her love of music by giving music lessons to many of the children in the neighborhood and her relatives. She also shared her gift of music as the Sandy 9th Ward Organist for many years, a position she took great pride in.

She is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Hulda Marshall, her husband Paul Edward Sovelius, Sr, sister Alta (lvan), brothers Stanley (Marjorie), Fred (Nona) and her lifelong friend from Hatch, Utah, Lilian (Tony) Ballatore.

She is survived by her 3 sons, Paul (Sandra), Brace & Kenji, Daniel and 3 marvelous grandsons Michael, David and Ryan, brother John (Letitia) Marshall, and many nieces and nephews.

We want to give a special thanks to Kenji Okuma in gratitude for all his invaluable help and care given to Edith, especially during the last three years of her life. We must thank the people at the Sarah Daft Home for their help and concern for Edith these past two years and to the people at the Brighton Home Health and Hospice, they have made the last days of her life easier and more comfortable.

There will be a graveside service on Friday, Jan. 8 at 1:00 p.m. at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park, 17111 So. Camp Williams Road, Bluffdale. There will be a visitation Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Goff Mortuary, 8090 So. State, Midvale.