Lila Bowen Nelson

Our beloved and dear wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away suddenly in the early morning hours of October 31, 2010, surrounded by members of her immediate family. She will always be known for her quiet but deep compassion and loving service to all for whom she discerned a need.

Lila was born October 5, 1930 in Spanish Fork, Utah to Belva Amelia Gallup and James Miller Bowen as the youngest of seven boys and three girls. Lila spent many childhood summers during the era of the Great Depression on the family farm in Holbrook, Idaho, with several nieces and nephews close to her same age, but she attended elementary, middle, and high school in Spanish Fork. It was there in the sixth grade that she met her husband, A. Reed Nelson, to whom she was married for more than 58 years. They were high school sweethearts and following their graduation from Brigham Young University were married for time and all eternity on June 4, 1952 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Lila was Senior Class Secretary at BYU and earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She taught school in both California and in Salt Lake City. She loved first being a wife, mother, and homemaker, but served faithfully in a variety of Primary and Relief Society callings, including Primary President. However, she never needed an assignment to sacrifice her time and talents to others. She was particularly adamant that she not be a burden to anyone, or singled out for recognition of her dedicated service. Having grown up with none of life's luxuries and struggling for many of its necessities, she developed a spirit of frugality that became for her a discipline, allowing her and her family the material and spiritual abundance to give and serve freely.

Lila is survived by her husband Reed, sons Stuart of Fairfax, Virginia, and Clarke (Marci) of Holladay, daughters Michele Jardine of Sandy and Natalie Fordham (Guy) of Cottonwood Heights; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and by each of her siblings: James Russell, Genevieve Williams, Donald Warren, Wendell Miller, Jesse Gallup, Darwin Alden, David Stuart, Darlene Bowen, and Robert O'Dell.

Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon, Thursday, November 4, 2010 at the Mt. Olympus Stake Center, 3862 E. Oakview Drive (4275 S). Friends and family may call 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at the Stake Center and again from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., prior to the funeral service. Dedication of the grave will be at 3:30 p.m., Spanish Fork City Cemetery (420 E. 400 S., Spanish Fork). Messages and tributes to the family can be posted at: www.holbrookmortuary.com