Athleen Godfrey

Biography

Athleen Brown Godfrey died on 01 October, 2013 from complications of age and childhood Polio.
Athleen was born April 2, 1934, in Ogden, Utah, the eldest daughter of Athon E and Lucile Williams Brown. She grew up and attended schools in Ogden and Weber County, graduating from Weber High School in 1952. She was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Utah, and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 1956. She married her eternal companion, Charles Wilford Godfrey, on January 26, 1957; they lived in Centerville, Utah and Casper Wyoming before Charlie’s death in 1966. Later married to James G. Coyner, they were divorced.
After Charlie’s death, Athleen moved her family to Salt Lake where she entered the first University of Utah’s Child Nursing Program leading to a Master’s degree that she received in 1968. She then worked as a Consultant in the Primary Hospital’s Birth Defects Clinic and later as a Maternal Child Nurse Consultant for the Utah Department of Health until 1982. She was active in several nursing and other professional organizations promoting the welfare of young children with disabilities and their families. In 1983 she was appointed by Governor Norman Bangerter to chair Utah’s first Interagency Coordinating Council to implement statewide Early Intervention services to infants and young children with disabilities and their families. During this time she also served on several federal interagency groups to help design and implement nationwide Early Intervention services. She also consulted with and conducted training sessions to many interdisciplinary groups in the Caribbean Islands, Uruguay, and Guam. In 1986 she began directing a research program and also serving as faculty to graduate programs at the University of Utah College of Nursing where she primarily taught child development courses and health care for young disabled children. From 1989 to 1992 she directed and taught the University of Utah’s first interdisciplinary master’s education program for nursing and special education students. She retired from the University of Utah College Of Nursing in June, 2000, as a clinical Professor Emerita.
Athleen received many local, state and national awards and recognition from nursing, special education and parent groups for her services. In 1973 she was one of 35 nurses selected as a Charter Fellow for the newly formed American Academy of Nursing. In 1983 she and her lifelong friend and nurse-colleague, Raeone Smith Zelle, published a textbook for Early Intervention providers that received the Book of the Year Award from the American Nurses Association.
Athleen was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, filling positions in Relief Society, Sunday School, Primary, Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association, and the Activity Committee. She always found joy in serving others, and tried to provide comfort, compassion and friendship to all wherever she went. During her final years she found great satisfaction through her active membership in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and providing her family with written histories of their ancestors.
Survivors include her own three children, Charlene G Clawson (Kevin), Nancy Godfrey, and Paul Charles Godfrey (Robin), two other “very special children” -Sheree Godfrey Peterson (Dave) and Don Coyner (Barbara) -ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and two sisters, Pauline B. Pruitt (Lee) and Lois B. Standley. Preceeded in death by her parents and sister Lillian B. Williams, beloved son-in-law Kevin T. Clawson, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 7, 2013 at the Bountiful 20th Ward, 102 East 1400 South where a viewing will be held Sunday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and Monday morning 9:45-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be at the Elysian Gardens Cemetery in Murray, Utah. In Lieu of flowers, Athleen and the family request donations to Primary Children’s Medical Center’s Outpatient Services Department. Online guestbook at www.russonmortuary.com