Joanne Wells Tingey

Joanne Wells Tingey, 88 years old, passed away from Alzheimer’s related medical issues on April 16, 2022, in Bountiful, Utah. Joanne was born on December 18, 1933, to Edwin Gordon Wells and Amy Viola Earl in Logandale, Nevada. She attended local schools in Logandale and upon completion of high school, attended Brigham Young University. She graduated with an Elementary Education degree. She commenced her profession as an elementary teacher in Hayward, California where she taught fourth grade for several years. She then taught at the Brigham Young University Demonstration School in Provo, Utah, and later taught in the Granite School District in Salt Lake City.

In 1960, she married Earl Carr Tingey in the St. George temple. Following Earl’s graduation from the University of Utah College of Law, they moved to several locations where he was assigned as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corp of the U.S. Army. They lived at Fort Knox, Kentucky and Charlottesville, Virginia before being stationed for three years at First Army Headquarters on Governors Island, New York. Following Earl’s service, they moved to New York City for six years and then to Easton Connecticut for ten years. While living in Connecticut, Earl and Joanne were called as mission leaders in the Australia Sydney Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved with their 4 children, under the age of 12, to Sydney, Australia. Following their three-year assignment in Australia, they returned to Connecticut for several years before settling in Bountiful Utah.

Joanne is the mother of four children, Tricia, William, Julie and Alan and the grandmother of 26 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She loved dearly each family member and recognized their unique personalities, challenges, and ambitions. She always sought for ways to improve their health, education, profession, and spirituality. She was truly an engaged mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in improving the lives of her posterity.

Joanne served faithfully in every calling she received, including President of ward Primary, Young Women and Relief Society organizations. She was especially talented in the fine arts, music and activity and co-chaired the Ward Activity assignment for many years, producing many creative and award-winning roadshows. She was active in community events and provided leadership to the Bountiful Community Theater, Main Street Alliance, and various political initiatives. For many years, she owned and managed Carr Stationery in Bountiful and loved serving the public through the products she sold in her retail establishment.

Joanne was a self-made gardener. She took formal gardening classes from the architect and landscaper of the L.D.S. Church gardens. She subscribed to many books and magazines on gardening and her half-acre back yard was a “Temple Square” garden of its own. With over 70 rose bushes, many perennials and annuals of every kind, her Bountiful gardens were the location of many receptions, parties and family and ward gatherings.

Joanne loved color. In addition to her colorful maze of flowers, color was always evident in the clothes she wore, the beautiful home she decorated on Sundance Circle, and how she communicated with others, always speaking positively and beautiful expressions of love and affection. She loved all things natural health and shared that passion with family and friends.

Joanne was especially effective when she worked one-on-one with others. Initially, she was loved by over 400 missionaries as she served with her husband in the Australia Sydney Mission. For three years, she traveled in over 25 countries of Africa with her husband establishing the Church among beautiful and choice people. She was loved and admired by thousands of Church members in Africa. Perhaps her crowning experience as a teacher came as she served as the Matron of the Washington D.C. Temple for 3 years. She loved that temple and will always be remembered for her love of the ordinances, covenants, and members. Her teaching capacity was recognized for many years when she was asked to provide orientation and instruction to the wives of newly-called General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tenderly and lovingly, she helped them assume this new role in their lives.

Joanne honored and revered her pioneer ancestors (the Bunker, Wells, Earl, Woolley and Bentley families) who heeded the call of Brigham Young to settle the harsh and hot areas of Southern Utah, Bunkerville, and “The Muddy” in southern Nevada.

Her family wishes to thank the caregivers at Creekside Memory-Care Unit in Bountiful where she lived the last year of her life. Also, thanks to friends, neighbors and ward members who provided care and kindness to her and her husband during these difficult years.

Joanne is survived by her husband, Earl C. Tingey, their four children Tricia Kamba (Jean-Eddy), William Earl (Lela), Julia Wall (Blair) and Alan Wells (Kerry); 26 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; and a brother Samuel Wells (Patricia). She was predeceased in death by her parents and a brother, E. Gordon Wells and a sister Kathleen Wells.

A public viewing will be held on Friday, April 22 from 6:00-8:00 pm, at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main St. in Bountiful. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 23, at 11:00 am, with an additional public viewing 9:00-10:15am in the Bountiful Mueller Park LDS Stake Center located at 1800 E. Mueller Park Road, Bountiful, Utah. Interment at the Centerville City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on ZOOM https://zoom.us/j/98267539259