Elon Imlay Widdison

GRAN HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

After 98 years of action and adventure, the incredible mortal journey that was the life of Elon Imlay Widdison (aka "Gran") came to a peaceful end in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 23, 2018.
 
She began the adventure on July 31, 1920 in the then small town of Grantsville, Utah, the only daughter of Leon Leroy and Mary Clark Imlay.  She had a happy childhood and grew up with her 3 brothers as "just one of the boys" doing farming and sheep raising as well as horse riding and shooting guns. She graduated from Grantsville High School in 1938 as one of the 11 graduating seniors that year.

In May 1941, she was introduced to a tall handsome basketball player who would become the love of her life and in November 1941, Arch Widdison and Elon were united as eternal companions. A month later, Arch gave his missionary farewell address on Sunday December 7, 1941 "A day which will live in infamy" (for other reasons). Elon supported her husband as he served in the Northwestern States Mission and she travelled to Seattle to join him in the final weeks of his mission. The permission to marry prior to Arch's mission was granted by the general authorities of the church at the request of J. Rueben Clark, Jr., a cousin of Elon's mother. The fact that they were married as Arch served was a strong point of identity for Elon throughout her life and she never tired of telling that story – especially to the young missionaries with whom she interacted frequently up to the very end of her long life.

Initially they resided in Arch's home town of Hooper where they lived on the Widdison family farm but in 1951 Arch was working for his uncle, Wilford Gardner, in the road construction industry in Salt Lake so the family moved to West Bountiful where they would reside for the rest of their lives.  Arch served as Bishop in the ward there and also as Mayor of the city so the family was always involved in church and city activities,.

Elon and Arch spent 53 years together raising seven children, singing, dancing and traveling the world.  After Arch's passing in 1994, she remained a widow and tightly connected to her family, friends, ward members. While, like everyone, her life had its ups and downs, the low point came on Mother's Day in 1968 when she and Arch received word that their second son, Scott, had been killed in action in Viet Nam.  The loss was devastating to her and while she recovered as well as could be expected, that loss created a void in her that stayed with her for her lifetime.

Scott had a "cowlick" on the front of his hair and so in later life, Elon had her hair cut in a special  way – short all over except for a longer tuft in front, reminiscent of Scott's cow lick,

Elon has a lot of talent and interests with a gifted, creative mind. For many years during the fall she would can bushels of peaches, pears, apricots, tomatoes and other produce to provide good food for here family and many others during the coming year. She could crochet, knit, embroider, sew, and she wrote and directed many roadshows and other musical productions. She had a way to touch young people and influenced many for good during her long life. In her later years, she was often "adopted" by the youth of her ward who would take her along on camping and boating trips, sometimes setting up a chair on the top of the boat where she could ride as the "Queen of the Nile". She and her daughters went on an annual outing wearing tiara's as the "Queen and her Princesses" where they were the focus of attention at many venues they visited.  Her highest adventure, however was going skydiving at the Tooele airport at the age of 87 – a feat which was broadcast on the Salt Lake TV news for several days.
 
She was devoted to her family and the Lord.  She was active in the church throughout her life, holding many positions in music, the Sunday School, and the YWMIA organization. Arch and Elon served a mission together at the Humanitarian Aid Group in the Church Distribution Center where they were responsible for organizing shipments of equipment, supplies, and materials to places of need throughout the world.  That service was one of the highlights of their life together.
 
She wanted to have her DNA tested through the Ancestry web site and her children commented, "Mother, we have our genealogy back to the 7th century. We know where you came from." Her response was, "Well, you never know if there might be a surprise."  When her DNA results came back, it said she was 95% of English and 5% of Scandinavian ancestry and that the cluster of similar DNA was "Western US Mormon Pioneers". There was, unfortunately, no surprise for her.

She participated in the family history name extraction program for many years until her eyesight failed due to macular degeneration. Finally she was unable to live alone so her daughter, Jan, along with her husband Joseph, moved in with her.  Later, she spent several years in California where she was able to become familiar with a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren who lived there.  She was in an assisted living center for a few months prior to moving back to Bountiful to live in the new Creekside facility where she was able to reconnect with family and friends in the last month of her life.

She was always very grateful for the love and support of family and friends during her life but also looked forward to being reunited with her husband, her son, her parents and many other family members who had preceded her in departing from mortality.  She was happy and content at the end of her long life.

She was strongly influenced by, and attached to, the wonderful pioneer heritage of which she was a part and relished the stories of faith and endurance represented by those stalwart people.  If she received a message from her ancestors that she wanted to pass on to her posterity, it would be summarized as "No matter what happens, "Stay in the Wagon".    

She is survived by six children, Kris (Kathleen) Yorba Linda CA, Wendy Harding (Douglas) SLC, Jan Carbone (Joseph) West Bountiful, Monte (Lynne) West Bountiful, Kyle (Cathy) Draper and Vanette Gelatka (Timothy [deceased]) Corona CA, 24 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson.  She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, a son (Scott), her husband and 2 great grandchildren.
 
Funeral services will be held Monday, Oct 1 at 11:00 AM in the West Bountiful 1st Ward Chapel 311 N 8th W West Bountiful.  Viewing Sunday, Sept 30th 6-8 PM at Russon Mortuary 295 N Main St, Bountiful and Monday 10:00 – 10:45 at the church.