The following obituaries appeared in the April 21, 2021 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more area obituaries, please visit Schwab Mortuary.
For more resources including headstones, please visit the Star Valley Historical Society.
There was dancing and much rejoicing in Heaven on April 2, 2021 when our beautiful Mother, Betty Allred, passed peacefully in her sleep with her guardian angels attending. No doubt it was a sweet reunion as Mom again met Dad along with other loved ones who were there to greet her. Yet, it is with heavy hearts that we say good-bye to our loving Mother here on Earth.
Alzheimer’s disease robbed her of her memories and abilities, yet her sweet spirit was strong and the disease could not take her kindness and gratitude. She was the victor, as she remained pleasant and gracious to the very end.
Betty was born in Fairview, Wyoming on November 11, 1935 to Robert W and Leila Anne Ellis Waring, the third of four children. She spent her growing up years in Smoot, Wyoming and enjoyed many summers in Idaho with her Ellis cousins whom she loved.
Betty graduated from Star Valley High in 1953. She and Dad met on a blind date and were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on February 14, 1956. Their union was blessed with six children who love and honor these good parents.
During her growing up years, Mom struggled with reading. She overcame this challenge by reading children’s books to us. With perseverance, her reading skills increased. She read to us every night and we each treasure the memories we have of time together with our Mom reading to us.
Mom was inclusive; serving people was her life and her gift. Even to the end of her life she was blessing others in ways that only Mom could do.
She was always there for us with patient listening ears. She would take in every detail, celebrating the happy times and giving wise advice in our times of struggle. Most often her counsel to us would be, “Find someone to serve.” Not only did she say it, she lived it.
She was well known for her wonderful bread, baked weekly, homemade cottage cheese and her Boston Cream Fudge. There was always something delicious simmering on the stove. No one left her home feeling hungry or unloved, if she could help it. She was an expert homemaker and took pride in her work.
Dad was always in a hurry, but Mom liked to take her time. She enjoyed going on walks with her grandchildren letting them stop and pick dandelions, look at every flower, stick, ant, and roly-poly bug. She liked to feed the birds and saved her crumbs and scraps to put out by the fence for the critters.
She loved to travel and took many trips with family, but mostly, Mom was content wherever she was.
She listened to Paul Harvey faithfully and always had music playing. Some of her favorite artists were Jim Reeves and Charlie Pride. When Dad would come into the house and music was playing, he would take Mom (or whomever was there) for a swing around the kitchen and living room. Mom and Dad loved to dance the foxtrot, waltz and jitterbug.
Mom was consistent; if she said it, you could count on it. She and Dad had many happy years raising their family in Orem, Utah and in Fairview and Green River, Wyoming.
As a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mom served in many capacities, but of all her callings, Nursery Leader was her favorite. She and Dad served together on two Farm Management Missions at Martin’s Cove and Elberta, Utah. They volunteered at the Stake Welfare Farm in Hurricane, Utah and in temples.
Along with her husband of 60 years, Kaye White Allred, those who welcomed her back to her eternal home were her parents Robert and Leila Anne, sister Leila Maude, brother Robert Gordon, two grandsons, William Clete Ridd, Andrew Allred Schwab and great grandson, Weston Clete Seare.
Mom is survived by her six children Ann (Robert) Vance of Bothwell, Utah; Tawna (Trent) Ridd of Ivins, Utah; Danette (Wayne) Labrum of Riverton, Utah; Rustin W. (Miwako) of Plano, Texas; Valeta (Orrin) Schwab of Providence, Utah; and Mitzi Jo Allred of Fairview, Wyoming. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and her younger sister Patricia Wolfley.
Visitations will be held Saturday April 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:20 at the Fairview Ward building. The service will start at 12:30 p.m. in the chapel. Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Schwab Mortuary.
Doug Williams passed away in April of 2021. He frequented the Wagon Wheel and Tootsies in Thayne and resided in Freedom Wyoming.
He was a Vietnam Veteran with many honors from the Marines-Sergeant, Navy-Intelligence Specialist and Gunner’s Mate Technician.
He was a kind and animal loving person with a big heart. He will be deeply missed by our family.
We are sorry to have lost a friend and neighbor.
May he Rest In Peace.
Ellen Sharleen Booth passed away at her home in Afton, Wyoming on April 13, 2021. Sharleen was the daughter of Dick and Lovina Leavitt and was born on June 10, 1935. She grew up on a small farm in Grover, Wyoming. She was the seventh child in a family of eight children. She went to school in Grover. Two years of high school were spent in Paris, Idaho and two years at Star Valley High School. After graduating in 1953 she married Calvin D. Booth in June of that year.
Calvin and Sharleen lived most of their lives in Star Valley. They had three sons; Kirby Douglas, Kelly Lynn, and Larry Wayne. Sharleen worked at Roberts Market when she was younger. She, along with Nelda Roberts, started the first dispatch service in Afton from their homes. They took all the calls for the Afton Police, Sheriff, Highway Patrol, fire calls, and also all of the outage calls for the Lower Valley Power and Light. She did this for 18 years.
When the dispatch station was moved to the Afton Town Hall she changed jobs and went to work for the 1st National Bank. She was there at the time the bank was foreclosed on by the FDIC. She then went to work for Star Valley State Bank and when it was sold she worked for First Security and Wells Fargo. She then went to work for the Bank of Star Valley.
Sharleen was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
She valued work and worked well all her life. She was a woman of many creative talents and made dolls, quilts, afghans, and enjoyed many other creative endeavors. Although she would argue with this statement, she was an artist and the homes of her family and many friends are graced with her beautiful paintings.
Grandma also enjoyed her beautiful yard, where she was an artist in a different way. It was a haven and a place of peace for any who came to sit a spell on her back porch. She loved flowers, birds, and children, and sparkling clean windows in the morning sunshine. She had a vibrant sense of humor and we all had to be prepared for anything on April fools Day!
The hearts of children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews have been graced with her constant care and fierce devotion.
Cal and Sharleen were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1986. Cal passed away in 2008. She was preceded in death by her parents Dick and Lovina Leavitt, Cal’s parents Douglas and Beatrice Booth, her son Kelly Lynn Booth, her daughter in law Trisha Booth, and all of her brothers and sisters: Wayne and Carma Skinner, Wyoma and John Hale, Lawrence (Jake) and Vernell Leavitt, Ross and Hazel Leavitt, Aloha and Chip Bennett, Gary and Merlene Leavitt, Ralph and Brenda Leavitt, and some nieces and nephews. Also preceding her in death were all of Cal’s siblings except a sister, Audrey Lee.
She is survived by her two sons Kirby Booth and Larry (Becky) Booth, her much-loved grandchildren Joe Booth, Callee O’Leary, Will Booth, Joanne Blair, Zachariah Booth, Matthew Booth, nine great grandchildren, one great great grandson and many, many nieces and nephews.
She is buried in the Afton Cemetery by the side of her husband and son.
