Betty Jean Crandall

Betty Jean Crandall returned to be with her Heavenly Father after enduring to the end on October 9, 2023, in Bountiful, UT. Her time on earth was filled with many triumphs, life lessons, and, most importantly, laughter. A better example of Christ-like love and kindness could never be found.

Bj or Bet, as she preferred to be known, was born on August 9, 1942, in North Ogden, UT. Although Ogden held a special place in her heart, nothing could compare to her love of South-Eastern Idaho. The town of St. Anthony was never prepared for the havoc she and the four other Jackson children unleashed. Summer was filled with swimming in the Snake River, fishing, and jumping from the barn's roof to the well-house. Her younger years additionally saw her living in a tent in the Pulp Woods, where she was known for keeping tabs on the gambling money and beating the men in shoot-outs.

In the early 1960s, Bj decided to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was initially called to Australia but was moved to the Western States mission when it was discovered her kidneys were diseased. She served her mission honorably, with the occasional hint of pizzaz she was known for. When the Oakland, California temple was dedicated in 1964, she was moved to California to finish her service. Once released, she received an associate degree from LDS Business College and married Calvin G. Crandall in the Idaho Falls Temple. After 30 years of marriage, the couple divorced.

Her two most significant accomplishments in this life were her wonderful daughters, Marlene and Kim, whom she raised in Sandy, UT. She was known for her immaculate house, where the shag carpet could never show footsteps, and was raked with a yard rake multiple times daily. Her fun-loving personality permeated everything she did. You could often find her riding her “put-put” motorcycle down the streets or cruising in one of the many sports cars she brought home as a surprise. Her many family members fondly remember her selling caramel-covered onions in the guise of apples and telling horrible jokes.

Bj continued living a fantastic and generous life, touching the souls of everyone she met. She unselfishly sacrificed many of her later years being a full-time nanny for her granddaughter, Morgan, who has fond memories of sharing a bunk bed and having duels with pop guns in small-town Wyoming. A favorite pastime included reading comics and obituaries every Sunday, making her granddaughter swear this obituary would be truthful and not dull.

In 2008, her kidneys finally gave out. The search for a kidney donor ended when a selfless neighbor, who barely knew her, knocked on the door and offered her a kidney. Laura Perry became integral to her life and those around her, blessing Bj and everyone who knew her with an additional 15 years of life. 

What a beautiful 15 years they were! Even when her memory started to fade, her sense of humor and deep-abiding love did not. She never owned anything she wasn’t willing to give away. Through Bj’s kind heart and generosity, countless Christmas gifts, church missions, and college degrees were paid anonymously. Her loving spirit and listening ears never spurned anyone. No one was too small or downtrodden to be out of her sight.

            Bj’s passing will leave a hole in the hearts of everyone who knew her. She is survived by her daughters Marlene Hyndman and Kimberlee Crandall; kidney donor Laura Perry; lifetime friend and caregiver Connie Watkins; siblings Glenda (Brian) Derbyshire, Sharon (Jack) Kerswell, Lymon (Linda) Jackson, and Montie Jo Lloyd; and grandchildren Morgan Hyndman, Michael Cyphers, Kayla Cyphers, Robin Keil, and Triston Brown. She is preceded in death by Pearl (Art) Greenwell.

Memorial services will be held at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 3317 South 800 West, Bountiful Ut, 84010, on November 4^th, 2023, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks people to Donate to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian program and check the organ donation box on their driver's licenses.