Donna D Simmons Howarth

Donna Simmons Howarth, 86, of Salt Lake City passed away peacefully asleep Sunday, September 9, 2012.

On November 22, 1925, one of the LORD'S beautiful daughters left HIS side and arrived in this mortal life at the family home of Benjamin Kerby Simmons (22) and Edith Mable Durrant (19), 2993 South 1st East, Magna, Utah. She was the first child in a family of seven (five brothers and one sister). Donna was born at 8:20 on a Sunday morning; the LORD'S SABBATH DAY and was fond of considered herself as a Sunday's Child from the following nursery rhyme:

Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child has to work for a living, But the child that is born on the SABBATH DAY, Is fair and wise and good and gay.

The Angels must have sent her to be a light and a beacon not only to her family and friends, but also to her future children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and great grandchildren of which she had many. She was mischievous with her roguish ability for quick spicy rejoinders, which were softened by her bright personality.

She married Byron Newman Howarth in November 1945 and became the mother of three sons, Dana, Randy and David. In 1958, when her boys were 8, 10, and 12 years old, she obtained employment at Christensen Diamond Products. When the boys reached the proper age, they joined the Boy Scout troop sponsored by the Magna LDS Ward, and Byron became an assistant scout master. The boys, along with their father, went on to become Eagle Scouts. She was a loving mother, who spent much of her time going to little league games, scout activities, church basketball games, fishing, camping, hydroplane races, working for Christensen Diamond, etc.

By the early 1970s, her sons, Dana, Randy, and David, left the family home, married, and were supplying Donna with grandchildren, whom she loved, adored and spoiled. She asked for and received a divorce from Byron effective January 1, 1975. They had been married a little over 29 years.

She became more active in the LDS church. On February 14, 1978, she received her endowments in the Salt Lake Temple and became a regular and devoted attendee at the Temple. In July 1978, after 20 years employment at Christensen Diamond, she resigned. Donna was called to serve as a Missionary in the LDS Georgia, Atlanta Mission. Her nephew, Joseph Simmons, was called at the same time and on the same Mission. She served 18 months between June 1979 and December 1980. When she returned home to Salt Lake City, she worked as a receptionist in her son Randy's automobile repair shop. Upon the death of her parents, Donna became the matriarch of the Simmons family and was known as Aunt 'D' or 'Grams'. She would say, "YOU are my favorite", to all of her nephews, nieces, and grandchildren in such a way that each believed they were her only favorite. With Donna, each person was indeed special and therefore her favorite "She took every member of this family under her wing and was our hero, our champion, our friend." "Thank you for keeping us together and THANK YOU for a lifetime of loving."

In 1989, Raymond Howarth came back into Donnas' life. He was: someone she had known all of her life; a widower; a former High School sweetheart; an ordinance worker; and Byron's cousin. Donna and Raymond Howarth were married and sealed September 18, 1992 in the Las Vegas Temple. With this union, both received large and loving families of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Donna joined Raymond as an ordinance worker in the Las Vegas Temple. In July 1994, they left Henderson, NV and began an 18 month couple mission to DA