Elizabeth Pettey

On December 31, 2014, with the hills and ground covered with the snow she loved, Elizabeth Andrice Pettey soared to Heaven, surrounded by her loving family. Elizabeth was born in 1984 in Salt Lake City to Bryce Hayes and Marilyn Parrish Pettey. Her birthday is October 23, as she would tell anybody who asked, and even some who didn’t. At an early age, she was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a rare type of epilepsy. In addition to uncontrolled seizures, it impaired her mental development, which means we always had the joy of having a 4-5 year old in our home. Every Christmas, and everyone’s birthday, especially hers, was always a happy event, because she was so excited for them. She also loved cats, the color pink, babies, Fish Lake, Candyland, and playing baseball with her Dad. She is now in her Pink Castle in Heaven, waiting for the many of you whom she invited to join her there.
Elizabeth attended Tolman Elementary, Meadowbrook Elementary, Centerville Jr. High, and Viewmont High. Upon graduation from the STEPS program in 2006, she was awarded her high school diploma from Viewmont. Since early 2007, she had been attending Danville Employment Services in Clearfield. The family is grateful for all the kind people who befriended her and assisted her at these institutions.
While Elizabeth had a special love for everyone, she especially loved her parents, her three brothers (her heroes) and their wives (three very, very special, sweet sisters-in law), Warren and Amanda (Goodrich), Durrant and Jill (Hunter), and Nelson and Katie (Edmunds). She also adored, and was adored by her nieces and nephews: Jefferson, Emerson, Nash, Asher, Knox, Annalise, Vanna, Drew, Garrison, and Joyce (Baby Buttercup).
Above all, though, she loved her Savior, Jesus Christ. Her eyes always lit up, and her gorgeous smile beamed, whenever she saw a picture or video portraying him. If anyone really knew the Savior in this life, it was Elizabeth. Her great desire in life was to be a “Mission Girl;” she was, and she is.
The family appreciates the loving care given to her over the years by doctors and other care-givers in the neurology departments of Primary Children’s Hospital and the University of Utah Hospital, and suggests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to those entities. The family also expresses its appreciation for the care-givers at the intensive care unit at Lakeview Hospital.
We are also grateful for all the kindnesses shown to her by her neighbors, friends, classmates, teachers, and extended family members, and even strangers over the years, that helped make her the sweet happy child she was while here on earth. Though our hearts are breaking, we also rejoice, knowing she is now free from her limitations, and with family members who were waiting to meet her on the other side. She also loved rainbows, and as she would remind us, after every storm, a rainbow always appears.
Services for Elizabeth will be held on Saturday, January 3, 2015, at 2:00 p.m., at the Bountiful 27th Ward, 1145 N 200 E, Bountiful, with a viewing there from 1:00-1:45 p.m. A viewing will also be held at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 N Main, Bountiful, on Friday, January 2, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.