Blanche Austin Peterson

Obituary – Blanche Elizabeth Austin Peterson Feb 15, 1917 to Apr. 24, 2006

Blanche Elizabeth Austin Peterson of Murray, Utah passed on April 24, 2006, in Provo Utah at the age of eighty nine years. She was born February 15, 1917 in Price, Utah to Joseph Albert Austin, and Sarah Grace Ostler. She was the sixth of seven children. Blanche graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City and attended the University of Utah and then graduated from the L.D.S. Business College. Blanche married Willis S. Peterson in the Salt Lake Temple on May 29, 1937. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served in many leadership and teaching positions in the church. Blanche and Willis had a wonderful life together. Because of his church work, especially his work on the Sunday School General Board, they traveled to most countries of the world. When her husband died in January 1973, Blanche filled her extra time with work in the Jordan River Temple, as a hostess at the Lion House. Her greatest love was serving her family and grandchildren. Blanche loved the United States of America and work for 30 years in the Utah Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Her great love was supporting the students from all over the state of Utah to attend the national conference where they learned about our freedoms and the history of this great country. She also loved arranging for the Heroes Luncheon, which was held each year honoring citizens of Utah who were ?heroes?. Blanche also worked tirelessly for the Utah Republican Women?s Club, which is the oldest such club in the nation. Blanche served on the boards of both of these organizations. Blanche was a talented seamstress and sewed most of her clothes when she was young. She also kept her three daughters well dressed in home made coats and dresses. She loved oil painting and her artistic flair helped decorate many gold and green balls for the church. She was a great home maker in every sense. Blanche loved her family very much and was very proud of her three daughters, sixteen grandchildren and thirty-two great grandchildren. She was a wonderful grandmother to each one of them. She is survived by her three daughters, Sharon David Richards of Salt Lake City, Jeanette Paul B. Clyde of Provo, and Marianne Dick Johns of Bountiful, Utah. She also has one living brother Joseph Maria Austin in Corpus Christi Texas, one sister-in-law Joyce Don Austin of St. George, Utah and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank her friends and staff at the Courtyard at Jamestown Assisted Living Center in Provo, Utah for being so kind and helpful to mother since she moved there in March 2005. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Friday April 28th at Russon Brothers Mortuary at 255 So. 200 E., S.L.C., UT. Viewing will be Thursday, April 27th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Friday, April 28th from 10:30 to 11:45 am prior to the funeral services. Internment in the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. Online guest book and directional maps available at www.russonmortuary.com