Ruth Gailey Rowland Lafferre

Ruth Nelson Gailey Rowland Lafferre, volunteer and service provider to all, passed away December 21, 2010. She was born December 7, 1922, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the daughter of Frederick George and Lucy Jane Hill Nelson. She graduated from Davis High School in 1941 and lived most of her life in Bountiful, a place she loved! Ruth attended Business School before being employed with the Salt Lake & Utah Railroad. She maintained close friendships with classmates her entire life and married her High School sweetheart, Joseph David Gailey on April 9, 1942, in the LDS Salt Lake Temple.

Ruth and Joe enjoyed 42 wonderful years together and were the proud parents of three children whom she loved dearly. Dr. Gailey died on July 21, 1984 and Ruth married another wonderful man, Joseph Brigham Roland, in the LDS Laie Hawaii Temple on October 14, 1986. Together they had 15 years of marriage which included much traveling. He died January 24, 2002. On May 31, 2003, Ruth married Lt. Col. Retired James F. Lafferre, Jr., a wonderful friend and companion. They lived part-time in Bountiful, Utah, and part-time in St. George, Utah.

Ruth spent her adult life in the health field, including 30 years at Lakeview Hospital. She enjoyed many years in church and community involvement. During this time she received awards that included Citizen of the Year (State Rotary Club), listed in Whos Who in the West and Whos Who in America and the Total Citizen Award (Utah State Chamber of Commerce Association). She also served as a Board Member on the Davis County Board of Health and the South Davis Chamber of Commerce. She was a speaker for the Western Hospital Association in many states as well as for the National Hospital Auxiliary. Ruth loved volunteering at Lakeview Hospital where she provided over 8,700 hours of service and also served as the Director of Volunteers and Auxiliary President. She was also active in the American Foreign Exchange Service housing two students in her home; Rafael Draper (Uruguay) and Lia Guerra (Italy). In addition, Ruth was actively involved in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where she served as an ordinance worker in the Salt Lake and St. George temples, as Relief Society President, a member of the Stake Sunday School and in the Young Women and Primary organizations. She also served with her husband James as a missionary in St. George. Her life experiences developed within her a deep and abiding love and compassion for her beloved widows.

She is survived by her husband, James Lafferre, three children: Sherylynne G. Roth (John), Joseph D. Gailey, Jr. (Marit), and Robert N. Gailey (Laurie); six step-children, Rebecca Lance (Billy), Elizabeth Campbell (Randy), Joanne Rowland, Elaine Wilson (Scott), Jeanne L. Fox (Robert), J. Michael Lafferre (Susan); 33 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She is preceded in death by a brother, Frederick G. Nelson, a sister, Mary Evelyn Lovell, two husbands, Joseph D. Gailey and Joseph B. Rowland, two grand-children and one great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held on December 27 at 11:00 a.m. in the L.D.S. chapel located at 640 East 750 South, Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will be held immediately prior to the funeral, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., in the Relief Society room. A viewing will also be held on Sunday evening, December 26, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main Street, Bountiful, Utah. Interment will be in the Bountiful Lakeview Memorial Estates cemetery following the funeral.