Lou Jean Cayton Harris

Born on December 26, 1927 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Lou Jean was welcomed with love by her parents, Gwendolyn Nelson and Edward Rumel Cayton.  She married her high school sweetheart, Stanley Luitzen deJong in the Salt Lake Temple in January of 1951. When Stan passed away in a tragic car accident, she found love again and married Richard Eugene Shaw in June of 1961.  The last 11 years of her life were spent in loving companionship, married to Brian Rex Harris after Dick’s passing.
Lou Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Mel and Gwen Cayton, her sisters, Marilyn Bockrath and Francis Wagstaff.
She is survived by her husband, Brian Rex Harris, her children and their spouses, Stan and Bonnie deJong, Janell and Jody Smith, Gary and Denise Shaw, Andy and Debbie deJong, Sherry Majors and Gary Wixom, Suzanne and Rock Boyer, and Richard and Kris Shaw.  “Grandma Lou” as she was known to the kids, loved her posterity which included 29 grandchildren and 62 great grandchildren.  When Mom married Rex, she gained bonus children Debbie and Marc Woodward, Jay and Cynthia Harris, Cheryl and Edgar Tooley, Becky and Mike Davies, and Troy and Carrie Harris, with 19 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Lou Jean was passionate about living well and thrived on being with family.  As a child she spent her summers on a ranch in Montana, riding horses and taking Sunday road trips with her family.  As a mom and grandma, she showed us how to live life to the fullest.  We knew we were her love and priority; her pride and joy.  She sacrificed her time and energy to offer us the best of everything. We all hold a special place for her in our hearts, with love and gratitude, that will last for eternity.
Mom never was one to be idle.  She filled her time with knitting and sewing and melt-in-your mouth indoor and outdoor cooking.  She was a fan of the outdoors both winter and summer.  Summers included hiking and camping, boating, water skiing, and swimming. In the winter you would find her skiing every sunny day she could make it.   She loved her time (52 years) at Bear Lake in the Apple Garden Campground and then her dream home, the “Gathering Place” in Fish Haven, Idaho.  There Lou and Dick spent their days with family and friends (Rex and Beryl included) laughing, spinning her food magic, and playing cards. Mom also loved to travel. Many summers included a camping trip with Dick and the kids to Colter Bay and hiking to Hidden Falls.  After retiring from teaching, Mom and Dad took cruises to many places, including Panama, and lounged on Mexican beaches with neighborhood friends.  She and Rex crossed the pond more than once to visit family in England.
Lou accomplished many things during her 95 years of living life to the fullest.  One of her earliest feats included being a member of the University of Utah Ski Team.  Any of her children can tell you that learning to ski at the Deseret News Ski School was non-negotiable.  She set the example for her children to continue their education to the college level, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics from the University of Utah and her Master’s Degree in Education some years later from Utah State University.  She completed her certificate in Education and taught for twenty years in an alternative high school setting for expectant teen mothers.  (The Young Mothers Program in Granite School District).
Lou Jean loved to serve in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints and in the community.  She held many positions of leadership in both.  Among her favorite opportunities was working with the Young Women in ward and stake Young Women’s presidencies, including many years as a camp director. Lou’s service in the community included working in the PTA on school and district levels. After retiring from education, Lou and her husband, Dick, filled a full-time performing mission for the church in Nauvoo, Illinois. After their mission, they spent many hours serving as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake and the Jordan River Temples.
Our mom was loving and kind to everyone she met and knew.  She shared her love with so many through the years and that love was returned by all.  Words cannot express how greatly you’ll be missed, Mom.  We would like to express our gratitude to the many family members and friends that blessed Lou’s life.  We would also like to thank her friends at the Solstice Senior Living Center. Special thanks go to Shannon and Jamie from Harmony Hospice Services for their loving care of Mom and their sensitivity to us, her family.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at Cottonwood Memorial Mortuary on 4670 S. Highland Drive, Holladay, Ut.  There will be a viewing before the Funeral Service from 10:30 – 11:30 AM.  Services will begin at 12:00 PM in the mortuary chapel.  Interment will be at Memorial Holladay Cemetery, 4900 S. Memory Lane.
Service Information
Viewing April 25, 2023 at 10:30 - 11:30 AM
4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah, 84117





Funeral Service
April 25, 2023 at 12:00 PM
4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah, 84117