Ilean Woodbury Amacher

Ilean was born February 17, 1922, to Grant and Bertha Woodbury in Hurricane, Utah. Both her parents’ families were pioneers in Southern Utah, Southwest Colorado and Northern New Mexico.

Ilean died quietly of complications related to old age on August 20, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was 98 years old.

Ilean’s father was away during the week, so her mother managed the family, education, and small farm. When Ilean was a teenager, her dad began ranching and during the summers she would cook for the men on the ranch.

Ilean was a good student and active in drama, dance and music in her high school. She earned a scholarship to Utah State University and while attending met Aaron G. Amacher. They were married July 30, 1943, in the Logan Temple. They were married only 10 days when he was called to active duty. Their letters during World War II demonstrate their deep love for each other. They willingly made sacrifices so their children could live free.

Aaron made military service his career. Ilean truly enjoyed being an army wife and enthusiastically embraced the culture of each new place. She made new friends everywhere they were stationed. She learned German. They visited museums, palaces, manor houses and cathedrals when they were stationed in Germany and England. They went to France, Italy and Switzerland.

Both Ilean and Aaron were leaders in the small branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
In Germany after WWII, they would deliver welfare food and supplies to the church members. At Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, there were only two Latter Day Saint families on base. One family was sent the nearest town in Kentucky, and our family was sent to the nearest town in Tennessee. The branch there consisted of two families. Aaron was the group leader for services on base and often our home was opened to Latter-Day Saint GI’s who were far from home.

Ilean substitute taught in a Junior High School in Baltimore, Maryland. The young men were a tough group, sons of steel mill workers, but Ilean charmed them with her good humor, exciting stories of the West and Europe, and her cheerful discipline.

Ilean managed the family while Aaron was away on military assignments including a hardship tour in Korea.

She and Aaron lived in Utah, South Carolina, California, Baltimore, Maryland, Bavaria, Germany; Texas, Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia and England.

Aaron died in 1969; she had three children at home. She bravely soldiered on. She took advantage of the college education she had in textiles and design, and the things she learned in Europe and began a career in Interior Design.

Ilean had many talents. She was an excellent seamstress and made her own clothing and evening gowns. One officer said to Aaron, “Amacher, how can you afford to dress your wife the way you do.” Every time the family moved, Ilean would re-decorate the home, altering the draperies, refinishing and re-upholstering furniture, making bedspreads, pillows and other decorator items. Ilean and Aaron had sophisticated dinner parties as part of their military obligations.

Ilean was talented in music, drama and public speaking. She sang at the 1964 World’s Fair and directed church choirs. She began oil painting at age 65, adding to the beauty of her children and friends’ homes.

She remarried twice, to Thomas Bailey and Farrell Humphreys. They both preceded her in death.

Ilean is survived by her five children: Daphne A. Jenkins (Laird), Aaron (Sandy) G. Amacher, Jr. (Song), Grant W. Amacher (Gracie), Mark A. Amacher (Patti), and Alison Amacher (Steve). She has 15 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.

There will be a viewing on Monday, August 24th from 6 till 8 PM at Russon Brothers, 295 North Main Street in Bountiful, Utah. Burial will be at 2:00 PM on August 25th at the Logan, Utah Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate to feed the hungry, or give to your favorite charity in Ilean’s name.