Shirley Anita Sharp Pitchforth

Shirley Anita Sharp Pitchforth, was born April 30, 1931 in Salt Lake City, Utah and passed away peacefully December 30, 2024 in Layton, Utah. She is the daughter of J. Vernon Sharp and Fawn Hansen Sharp. She attended schools in Holladay, Utah and graduated from Granite High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Utah in 1953. Shirley taught 1st grade in Portland, Oregon and the Granite School District in Salt Lake City. Later, she lived in Midland, Michigan, Kalama, Washington, and Concord, California. The later 50 years of her life were spent in Westminster, California. 

Shirley married Lehi L. Pitchforth, Jr. in the Salt Lake Temple in 1954 and they enjoyed 40 years of marriage together. They are the parents of four children, to whom she dedicated her life. She attended too-numerous-to-count ballgames, concerts, and activities – we knew she preferred spending time with us over time in the kitchen. 

Mom lived a life dedicated to caring for others, through numerous leadership callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she had a great love for her service as a worker over 28 years in the Los Angeles and Newport Beach temples.

A lifetime of joy in reading was satisfied through participation in her book club for over 40 years. She inspired a similar love of reading among many in her family as she read to and purchased books for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Her favorite times were spent traveling home and abroad, cheering her LA Angels in the stadium or on TV, and especially playing games and spending personal time with her family. We remember with fondness her many invitations, “let’s play a game!”, whenever visiting her. Go Angels!

Shirley leaves behind, daughter Anita (Douglas) Belliston, son James S. (Heidi) Pitchforth, daughters Darlene (Daryl) Jensen, and Julie (Wayne) Munyer, 20 grandchildren, and 46 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Lee, parents Vernon and Fawn Sharp, sisters Darlene (Verl) Topham, Susan (John) Hutchinson, and Judy Lynn Sharp, and 3 great-grandchildren, Rebecca and Rachel Toone, and Grayson Munyer.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, January 10, 2025, at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 1941 North Main, Farmington, Utah. A visitation from 9:45-10:45 am will precede the service. Interment will follow at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Millcreek, Utah.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.

Our family is sincerely grateful to the caregivers at Fairfield Village of Layton, and Inspiration Hospice who provided mom loving care during her time living in Layton, Utah.