LynnAnne Taylor Richards

Our beloved mother and grandmother, LynnAnne Taylor Richards, passed away peacefully on June 10, 2024. LynnAnne was born on May 17,1935 in Provo, Utah, to Lynn and Celestia Taylor.  She grew up on the hill in Provo with her brothers and sisters and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.  LynnAnne attended Provo High School and graduated from Brigham Young University in fine arts.  While at BYU, LynnAnne spied a handsome young man on the steps of the library and knew that she had found the love of her life, H. Bryan Richards.  They married in the SLC temple on August 23, 1957, a marriage that led to eight children, 31 grandchildren, and 40 great-grandchildren.

As a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LynnAnne’s faith and testimony of Jesus Christ made her a fearless and supportive companion to Bryan as they accepted church callings and travelled the world together dedicating their lives to serving others. Wherever she went, LynnAnne was a gatherer; her light and love drew people in and created joyful and eternal bonds. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. 

LynnAnne’s lifetime of service is marked by the names her grandchildren called her: Grandma England when she and Bryan were mission leaders, Grandma Hong Kong when they served in the Asia Area presidency, Grandma Temple as matron of the Bountiful Utah Temple, and most recently, Grandma Turquoise as she spent the last few years of her life creating magical moments for her cherished great-grandchildren.  

LynnAnne was an artist: she appreciated and created style, color, and beauty everywhere she went. Her paintings were reflections of what she held most dear— her family and her faith. Many of these treasured paintings hang in the homes of her children and grandchildren. 

LynnAnne once said, “The greatest art is making people happy.” If this is true, LynnAnne was indeed a master artist. Her “art” collection includes pictures of magical moments she created for those around her:  Sundays with classical music and brown sugar rolls; summers at the cabin with long walks, good books, movies, and lots of chocolate; her famous Halloween parties; Christmases with music, garlands, and ring rolls with holly berry gumdrops; bringing joy to children with her songs, nursery rhymes, and Strings and Things puppet shows; working and serving with her England Manchester missionaries; reaching out to curious Chinese children; and spending sacred time in the temple. 

Above all, LynnAnne’s ultimate masterpiece was her family.  She cherished her role as mother and grandmother and lived to give them confidence and joy.  LynnAnne taught her children to create magic from the ordinary.  She instilled in her children a love of reading, the spirit of adventure, and the power of a cheerful and happy heart.  She was their greatest cheerleader.

Throughout her lifetime, LynnAnne continually sought to challenge and improve herself, creating joy and making life beautiful at every stage. Her courage and fearlessness led to adventures such as earning her master’s degree at age fifty, navigating the streets of England and Hong Kong, and facing physical challenges with grace and beauty.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream of living in the country, LynnAnne spent her final year in Idaho under the tender care of her daughter and son-in-law, Ben and Shari Turnbow. Her days were filled with a steady hum of family and farm life, Sunday dinners, and quiet afternoons on the porch. LynnAnne was warmly welcomed by her Linrose friends and neighbors, and she loved her time spent in Weston.

LynnAnne is survived by her eight children: CarolLynn (Kim) Gregson, Shari (Benjamin) Turnbow, Taylor (Barbara) Richards, Robyn (Craig) Stulce, Heidi (Michael) Poulter, Becky (Anthony) Tholen, JennyLynn (Jason) Rockwood, and John (Ashley) Richards.  LynnAnne was preceded in death by her husband, Bryan, her sister Kathryn Taylor Brockbank, and her son-in-law, Kim Gregson.

LynnAnne’s family plans to celebrate her beautiful life with a private family graveside service.  In lieu of flowers and in her honor, be an artist like LynnAnne— gather your loved ones and create a magical moment.  She would suggest starting with a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake.