Norma Lou Moffat

Norma Lou Butcher Moffat left her earthly home on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 surrounded by loving family members; at the age of 92 – 16 days before her 93rd birthday. She was born in Salt Lake City on April 1, 1928 to her father Theodore Charles Butcher, and her mother Norma Emma Christensen whom mom is named after.

Mom is a woman of great faith.  She taught her children to pray to Heavenly Father every night and would climb the 15 stairs to our bedrooms to have prayer with us after a long hard day of work. We loved her company so much that we would do whatever we could and make up whatever excuse we could think of  to keep her upstairs longer with us so she would not leave us.

Her prayers to the Lord sustained her through many trials in life, such as when her first born son Murray went to Viet Nam, she prayed daily for his protection and return. Her son Mark was shot in a deer hunting accident and listed critical at the Payson Hospital needing multiple blood transfusions. Her son Kent who fell off of an LDS church building severing his spine and causing brain damage. Mom and dad were told he would more likely not make it through the night. With a priesthood blessing from dad and mom’s prayers; he is still with us today after 30 years! Her son Jeff being burned by a gas fire while working on his house boat being in critical condition, her son Mike rolling his truck. With 10 children to look after, she needed Heavenly Father’s daily help and guidance in doing so.

Mom met dad from a girl that lived next door and the girl liked him first. Of course, dad after seeing mom knew she was the ONE for him! (How could he resist, right?!) After dating mom for about 3 or 4 months she and dad eloped on March 21, 1945 to Elko, Nevada. For fun times in their early married years and not having much money, while dad was called in the army and sent to Hot Springs, Arkansas; they would for pleasure and an outing walk down to the lake about every day and watch the frogs, the toads and tadpoles.  Mom said it was fun!  Another of their activities was to walk at night to get an ice cream cone. Oh the simple pleasures of life they enjoyed, just to be together!  

Every morning mom would get up and cook dad a hot breakfast, which generally was eggs and toast. Then she would do a sack lunch which usually consisted of a sandwich, chips, a Hostess fruit pie or a Twinkee, and a 7-up!  Sending him out the door every morning, you would always hear dad give mom a couple of lip kisses good-bye. It was the same routine every morning – dad never missed a good-bye kiss!

Mom was an active member of “The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints”, and on September 1, 1964 her and dad took their 8 children to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed for “Time and Eternity”; with her sweet neighbor Sister Wadley who knelt as proxy for their daughter Beverly whom they lost at 9 months old. Mom held several callings, and was a member of the “Daughters of the Utah Pioneers” for over 50 years. Her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ radiated deep within her. She taught her children that God lives, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and to be honest and true in every way. Not only did she teach it verbally, but she lived it and taught it by quiet example.

Mom loved to laugh and she loved to laugh at a good joke! We loved it when she would laugh so hard that it would make her eyes water! She loved gardening, and her roses.  She has the most beautiful rose bushes now, and loved to sit and watch them grow and blossom from day to day. 

She was self-taught in crocheting and loved to crochet.  She made many booties for the newborn little babies.  She would crochet the edges of many baby blankets and give them away.  She crocheted shawls for her daughters, and doilies to help beautify hers and many others homes.  She even made dolls and crocheted their clothing.  She crocheted until her hands could not take the pain of it any more, and her eyes had a hard time seeing the small stitches. Mom also loved her thimble and spoon collection. She loved to read, especially the church magazines and stories from church history.

Mom was a great cook!  She could cook anything and have it turn out the best.  When she would take a casserole or something for a ward party, and when dad would  get his turn at the serving table; he would look for mom’s cooking first. At times mom’s dish would be gone, and dad would come home and complain that he got someone else’s cooking that was not the best!  I guess you could say he was a little spoiled! Mom made the best potato salad “in all the land!” It was not a good bar-b-que if mom did not have her potato salad there. At times when she didn’t have time to make it, she would buy the store bought kind and try to doctor it up by adding a little onion and pickle to pass it off as hers!  But, we all knew it was not the “real thing” and generally it ended up going to waste. 

Christmas was a special time of year for mom.  She loved to bake cookies and fudge and her famous fruit cake we all loved; make plates to take to her brothers and sisters family and sing Christmas carols to them. Mom always had a special way of giving a gift to each child and grandchild, no one ever went empty handed at Christmas.  You never saw a gift card given in place of a doll or game for a child.  She took time for each one and each gift was a well thought out one. No rush was ever taken, so to insure the happiness and thankfulness of each child in loving the gift they were given.

Every Friday, mom would go and get her hair done. She loved to have her eyebrows penciled in and her lipstick on to get ready for this special day. She had a natural beauty all her own, but her real beauty was the inner beauty she gained as she lived her life the best she could. When mom got to the point that it was too hard to take her to the beauty shop, her hair was done at home at the beauty shop of “Dawn’s Shave and Save”!  We thought her hair turned out better anyway and it saved the $25 bucks each week to have it done. Dad always said he liked it better too!

Being raised during the Depression, Mom knew how to stretch a buck!  Giving birth to 11 children and raising 10 of them, even her children wonder how she did ALL she did!  She was an amazing, caring, loving, kind, generous, thoughtful mother not only to her children, but others whose lives she touched by these loving attributes. Her Christ-like example was felt by many, as she gave her all to the Savior. Her brothers and sisters children loved to come to mom’s house too, as mom would so lovingly feed and care for them as well.

Mom’s love for her family was felt by all. Her children (11), grand-children (45), great grand-children (83), even her great great grand-children (5 with more on the way), she showed love and affection to all. Oh, how she loved the babies and the little children; she always loved to kiss their sweet little cheeks! She was always so glad to see whoever walked through the door for a visit. She often said that her children were her best friends!

Mom and dad celebrated 75 years of marriage last year. They both said that the success of their long years of marriage was “holding hands!” We as a family look to them as our examples of continued “working at”, and “not giving up” on each other.  Their covenants they made of marriage in Elko, Nevada  and especially in the temple were covenants for eternity! Neither one took those covenants lightly and continued faithful in doing all they could to make their marriage a success and eternal.

Though we miss our mom and dad greatly, we rejoice in their rejoicing of being together again with their parents, their darling daughter Beverly who died as an infant, and other family members on both their sides, and friends. Yes, they know of Heavenly Father’s Plan, the truth of it and rejoice that they are now enjoying the fruits of being together again.

Loved by her children who call her Mother and Mom, her grandchildren who call her Grams and Grandma, she will  be remembered for her “Legacy of Love” to all! Thank you Mom for your unconditional love, laughter and great example in life.  We will always remember your smile and the fun times you shared with all of us!

Mom is the Queen of our family and forever will be because of our Savior’s loving Atonement, and our Father in Heaven’s gracious plan for each of us. We feel she made it through her mortal trial, thanks be to our Savior, her faithfulness and her long endurance through it and will forever reign in glory!  We humbly thank our Father in Heaven for sending us to her and for her “Legacy of Love” to us.      We Love You Our Mother!

Mom is survived by their 10 children: Murray, Kathryn, Michael, Mark, Marilyn (Garth Malan), Kent, LuLu (Alan Ostler), Dawn (Jeff Rowberry), Jeff (Michelle Hout), and Gwen.

Viewing will be Sunday, March 21, 5 pm to 7 pm at the Russon Brothers Mortuary – at 1941 North Main, Farmington. A morning Viewing will be held on Monday, March 22 from 10:30 to 11:30 at the Kerrybrook LDS chapel located at 1955 South 350 East, Kaysville. Funeral Services will be at 12:00 at the same building. For Zoom Meeting, click this link:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkJK9Z-UsOejBOmEc1hxfmA

Services will also be on Russon Mortuary and Crematory Facebook page at the following link:   https://www.facebook.com/Russon-Mortuary-Crematory-105412734572327