Avis R. Ashby

On a clear cold morning in Cedar City on December 6, 2016, my daughter, Sharon, sat beside me on my bed and gently stroked my arm. I wanted to rise up and give her a hug and tell her how much I loved her and appreciated all that she had done for me but my body was too weak. I was not really even conscious. Sharon would later say that she felt the spirit very strongly at that time. A half hour later I was finally ready to enter the Spirit World and left this earthly existence to great joy and happiness being greeted by so many wonderful spirits of family members who had preceded me there. Avis Richins Ashby was born in a two room log cabin in Naples, Utah to Rowena Larsen Haws and Albert C. Richins on November 27, 1923. She was the fifth child of Rowena and the second child of Albert. She lived in Naples until she was four then the family moved to Coaldale Alberta, Canada, where she attended school until the age of fifteen. The family then moved back to Utah and settled in Maeser, near Vernal. She met Glenn Carlos Ashby at Mutual and later they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on December 10, 1941. They lived in the Vernal area for a few years, then in Rangely, Colorado for a few more, and then finally settled in Powell, Wyoming for about 15 years. Glenn and Avis owned and operated a farm near Powell and raised six children there. After that, they followed Glenn's jobs to Montana and then to Utah where they lived in Randlett, Altamont, Bridgeland, and finally purchased a property near Upalco that became a favorite place for the grandkids to visit. Over the years Avis served in many callings in the Sunday School, Primary, and Relief Society, but her favorite of all and the one she talked about the most was serving as an ordinance worker in the Provo Temple, even though it was a three hour drive from her home in Upalco. Avis spent the last three and a half years of her life living in Cedar City with her daughter Sharon. The advancing years brought on increasing dementia until she could hardly remember anything. But she always seemed to know when it was Sunday and that the priests from the Old Farm Ward would bring the sacrament to her. She loved that experience and loved having them in her home with her. She also loved and appreciated her home teachers and visiting teachers who visited her faithfully and even at the hospital and care center the day before her death. Avis was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn Carlos Ashby, her son Jerry Glenn Ashby, her parents, a brother and five sisters. She is survived by her children Carlene (Lyle) Beddes of West Valley City, Utah, Sharon (Ted) Holder of Cedar City, Utah, Leon (Karen) Ashby, Upalco, Utah, Kelly Ashby, American Fork, Utah, and Lori (Tom) Wangemann, Orem, Utah, and her brother Fran (Bernece) Richins, Jensen, Utah. She is also survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as nephews and nieces. There will be a memorial open house at 7 p.m. in Cedar City, Utah on December 15, 2016 at the Enoch West Stake Center, 3600 N Minersville Highway, Enoch, Utah. A viewing on Saturday, December 17, 2016 @ 1:00 PM at the Maeser Stake Center, (1000 N 2745 W, Vernal, Utah,) Burial will be in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery, 1241 North 3500 West, Vernal, Utah. www.blackburnvernalmorturay.com