Verla Spring

A few years ago, on Sept. 20, 1926, a lovely baby girl was born into the Jenkins family in Logan, Utah, the center of beautiful Cache Valley. When this young baby was about four years old, her mother passed away and she was left to be raised and cared for for by her devoted Aunt Sadie, and many other family members.

She attended public school in Logan, graduated from Logan High School in 1944 and went on to attend school at the Utah State Agriculture College in Logan, now know as Utah State University. During her growing up years, she was always active in the church and participated in various ward functions, especially the mutual dances as she loved to dance and was known for her “jitterbugging” ability! There was always a waiting line of fellows wanting to dance with her.

Her favorite sport or activity was roller skating and she spent many hours at the local roller skating rink where she displayed her talent as a figure skater, both solo and with a partner. She tried many times to teach her boyfriend at the time, which would later become her husband, to skate, but gave up when she discovered that he had “two left feet.”

She met Lee Spring in a sugar beet farm field in the Fall of 1943. She was one of the many High School volunteers who helped in the harvest of sugar beets during the war years. With most of her boy friends in the Service, it was fairly easy for him to take advantage of the situation! They started to date and a short time later, a proposal and an engagement resulted. However, due to his enlistment in the Navy, they had to wait awhile to get married. On February 20, 1945, they were married in the Logan Temple for time and eternity.

As time progressed, she became the mother of five children, one girl and four boys; Steven, Kenneth, Leighann, Samuel, and Verlyn. Eventually a grandmother to 17, great grandmother to 28, and great-great-grandmother to 6 with 2 on the way.

She continued to be active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, having served as a Relief Society President three times, Sunday School Teacher, Primary Teacher, Sports Director in the Stake Mutual Young Women’s program, the Young Women Mutual program and an Extractor of the Norwegian Records for the Family History program.

While she was in Massachusetts, she became very interested in genealogy as many of her ancestors settled in that area during the 1600-1700’s. She always had an interesting story to tell about some of them. One of them being her great grandfather, William Clayton, whom served as a scribe to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, and wrote several beautiful church hymns, the most popular being “Come, Come, Ye Saints.”

During the rearing of her family, she chose to work as a waitress to help supplement the family income. At this busy time in her life, she excelled in cooking for the family and became an expert seamstress and had, for many years, made her own clothes for her family.

After a short stint in Delaware, they moved back to Utah, settling in Levan in 1980. Her favorite past time was going over to the church to quilt with the Relief Society sisters. She enjoyed it so much that she took up lap-quilting and went on to make numerous quilts for the family with one having quilt blocks from her Grandma Ball that she treasured. They also enjoyed serving in the Manti Temple together for many years.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dale Sedden and Florence Malinda Jenkins, her husband, Lee Spring, her son, Steven Spring, and 3 grandsons.

She is survived by her children, Kenneth (Debbie) Spring, Leighann (Joe) Wankier, Samuel (Ann) Spring, Verlyn (Anne) Spring, and daughter-in-law Judy Spring.

A viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at the Levan Ward LDS building, 25 N. 100 E., in the Relief Society room from 10:00 am - 11:00 am. The funeral will follow.