Vivian Hatch Grindstaff

Vivian Hatch Grindstaff, age 100, passed away peacefully in Grantsville, Utah on December 12, 2023. Vivian was born to Lila Margaret Mitchell Hatch and William Anson Hatch on May 4, 1923, in Provo, Utah. Vivian attended school in Provo where she graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Brigham Young University.

In her youth, mother loved playing with her neighborhood friends. She enjoyed reading so much that she read every book in the Provo City Library, including the encyclopedias. After checking out library books in the morning, she would return them in the afternoon and try to get more only to be disappointed when she was told to wait until the next day. She loved to sing and sang on the radio as a teenager. Vivian joined the Army in 1944 after her friend told her she would like to join and to meet her at the recruiting office. Her friend did not show up, but Mother signed up anyway. During the war, she served in California doing bookkeeping and finances.

Vivian married Philip Lyman Grindstaff on March 12, 1947, in the Salt Lake City Temple. Together, they traveled the world with their ten children, including two sets of fraternal twins. Mother was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she served in many capacities. She sang with the Singing Mothers traveling to Utah to sing during General Conference. When the family returned to live in Utah, Mother worked for the state of Utah division of social services where she earned awards for her work with adoptions. After the death of her husband in 1982, Mother served missions for the church in Australia, New Zealand, Washington D. C., and Atlanta, Georgia. In her later years, she drove across the country visiting her family as her hearing began to deteriorate. Mother sang from her heart even though she could not hear the music she so loved.

Vivian was preceded in death by her parents and four siblings: Blyth, Verlin, Margaret, and Rhea; her husband Philip, one son, David; two grandsons, Zachary and Scott; and one great grandson, Tavian. Her surviving children are Philip Joseph (Shirley), California, Barbara Diehl (Eric), Wyoming, Alan Lyman (Vickie), Texas, Clifton Julian (Nancy), Utah, Richard Ray (Diana), Mississippi, Nancy Kunz (Ronald), Utah, John Jay (Elizabeth), Texas, Peggy Fehlman (Rodney), Arizona, Elizabeth Hagey, Nevada, and O’Linn Olsen, Utah. This in addition to well over 100 grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary in Bountiful, Utah. Her funeral will take place on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 550 East Durfee Street, Grantsville, Utah, beginning at 11:00 a.m. with a viewing from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Her interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park in Bountiful, Utah, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband, Phil, and son, David.

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

A special thanks to those with Rocky Mountain Hospice for their kind, loving, and caring help during her final days.

Enjoy the music, Mother! We love you and will miss you!