Arva Seamons Shaw

PAUL – Arva Seamons Shaw, 89, of Paul, passed away peacefully from natural causes on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013.

Arva was born on Sept. 28, 1924, in Smithfield, Utah, and was the youngest child of George William Seamons and Nora Pitcher Seamons. She lived in Smithfield until the age of 11, when her family moved to Rupert, Idaho, in 1936. Arva graduated from Rupert High School and began working as a bookkeeper for a local variety store. Later, she began working at a bank in Rupert but resigned when her husband was discharged from the U.S. Navy.

She married LaMar K. Olson on Nov. 28, 1945, in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. They raised their family in Heyburn where she spent many hours sewing, canning, and loving her children. In 1953, Arva started working for the Idaho Bank and Trust Company and later became an officer – only the third woman officer in their history to that point.

She and LaMar later divorced and on June 7, 1989, she married Cecil Shaw in the Boise Idaho LDS Temple. She and Cecil spent many happy years traveling and working in the Boise Temple. She served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all her life, holding many positions in the Primary and Young Women.

Arva had a deep love for her children and grandchildren. She found great joy in spoiling them all. Most of all, she set a great example for them of love, patience, forgiveness and enduring to the end.

She is survived by her three children, Dianna (Gene) Hansen of Paul, Ken (Sue) Olson of Bountiful, Utah, and Susan Kilmer of Nampa, Idaho; 13 grandchildren; and 43 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two stepsons, Gary (Kathy) Shaw of Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, and Dennis (LaRue) Shaw of Carmichael, Calif.; plus their children and grandchildren.

Arva was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil; her parents; two sisters, Anna Dixon and Georgia Moncur; one brother, Burnel Seamons; and a stepdaughter, Patsy Shaw.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff at Valley Vista Care Center in Acequia for the tender love and care they gave to Arva during the last 2 ¾ years of her life. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Valley Vista in memory of Arva for their Christmas dinner.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Paul LDS Stake Center, 424 W. Ellis St., in Paul, where friends and family may call from noon until 12:45 p.m. Officiating will be Bishop Kerry Sanford. Burial will be in the Rupert Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.