Larue Hadlock Woodbury

LaRue Hadlock Woodbury, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, returned to her Heavenly Father on Saturday, March 19 – a beautiful spring day, much like the day she was born. She spent her last day doing her favorite things – most importantly, visiting with family.

LaRue was born May 27, 1926 to Ferry & Jennie Hadlock. She earned the "Golden Gleaner Award", the highest achievement a young woman could earn. She attended East High and later graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Elementary Education. She went on to teach grade school for six years. LaRue served a mission to the Southern States, a blessing she cherished all of her life.

On Labor Day, 1952, she met the man of her dreams on a blind date. Though she had had many dates and previous proposals, this was different – she felt she had known Douglas Coulam Woodbury her whole life. They were engaged by the end of the week. Two months later, on November 28, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

They moved to Kansas City where LaRue taught school to support Douglas through Dental School. After he graduated, they lived in Yuma, Arizona while Doug was a dentist in the U.S. Air Force, before returning to Salt Lake to raise their family. Together they raised seven children. Faith, family and friends were always more important to her than any monetary thing, and LaRue was blessed with many great friends and neighbors throughout her life. She served in numerous church callings. Her favorites included Roadshow Director, Stake Dance Director with her husband and temple worker at the Salt Lake Temple, where she and Doug served for thirteen years.

She lived life to the fullest, enjoying dancing and teaching dance classes, watching movies, painting, crocheting, deer hunting, roller-skating, bowling, waterskiing, and snow skiing, among other talents. As she grew older, she became a great spectator, and her greatest joy was watching her children and grandchildren perform.

LaRue was preceded in death by her mother and father; brother Ferry; sisters Virginia, Hattie, Esther and Jennie; and grandson Landon.

She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Douglas; children Joyce (Reagan) Jones, Kristi (Jonathan) Camp, Scott (Denna) Woodbury, Toni (Scott) Lundskog, Ginger (Jon) Tingey, Patsy (Ken) Barney, Spencer (Penny) Woodbury; 33 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; brothers Milo and Tony; and many other family members and friends, whom she loved.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 26, 2016, 12:00 noon at the East Millcreek Stake Center, located at 3103 Craig Drive, Salt Lake City. Viewings will be held Friday, March 25, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the same location. Interment will be at the Redwood Memorial Estates Cemetery. Guestbook to post messages and tributes for the family is available at: www.HolbrookMortuary.com

We would like to say thank you to the many friends and family who helped care for LaRue over the last few years. We love our Mother dearly and we will miss her, but are comforted knowing she is with her sisters. She always loved spending time with them and they are no doubt happily catching up on the other side.

"She's gone ahead to save us seats…(on the front row)."