Leora Hurst Johnson

BURLEY — Leora H. Johnson, 95, long-time resident of Burley, died Friday, September 16, 2016, at Parke View Rehabilitation Care Center in Burley.

The oldest surviving child of Wesley L. and Velma Norton Hurst, she was born July 10, 1921, in Shelley, Idaho. Four brothers and three more sisters were born into the family, but two of the brothers did not survive infancy.

Her father farmed in the Shelley area, and she attended various schools there. In December 1937, after purchasing J.R. Simplot’s father’s farm in Springdale, the family moved to Burley, and she completed her sophomore year at Burley High School, where she graduated in 1940.

Soon after arriving in Burley she met H. Fredrick Johnson, also from Springdale, who left the next week to serve a two-year church mission in the Central States. After he returned home in 1940, they became acquainted and started dating. They soon decided that they wanted to be together forever, and they married May 16, 1941, in the Salt Lake Temple. They reared their eight children in Springdale and farmed there until their retirement.

She was an active member of the LDS Church throughout her life and served faithfully in many callings. She is widely remembered by scores of children to whom she taught the Gospel through music and through numerous Christmas programs that she wrote and directed each year at the church. She frequently revised her scripts at the last minute to create a part for a child who needed special recognition.

As the family grew and as needs required, she worked in the school lunch program and at various processing plants. After many years she retired from Simplot’s in 1987.

Soon after retiring she and her husband were called to serve a leadership training mission for one year in the Charlotte, North Carolina Mission. They were assigned to work in the Greensboro, NC, branch, where they taught and strengthened the members. Her skills in working with children and teaching through music contributed greatly to the growth and success of the branch.

In 1996 she and Fred were called to serve another mission at the LDS Employment Office in Burley. This one-year mission stretched to fourteen months, when Fred’s health failed, and they were released. His health continued to decline until his death on August 9, 1999.

Leora continued to remain active in church callings and with family involvement. In 2011 she moved in with her son Leon and his wife, Gail, in the View area, where she lived for three years. In 2014 she moved to Arimo to live with her daughter Norma and her husband, Kraig, where she lived until her health failed in July 2016. She then came to Parke View in Burley, where she lived until her death.

In the 75 years from the time she and Fred married until her death, the union produced 8 children, 41 grandchildren, 118 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild, for a total of 168 direct descendants, which does not count spouses. And this count is continuing to grow. Surely a great multitude will call her blessed.

She is survived by brothers Rulon (Elizabeth, dec.) of Hurricane, UT, and Gerald (Lois) of Twin Falls, and by sister Shirlene (Rex) Wrigley of View; daughters Norma Boyd (Kraig) of Arimo and Deanne Ford (Bryan) of Twin Falls; sons Leon (Gail), Dean (Kay), and Gary (Lowana) of Burley, Dale (Darlene) of Federal Way, WA, and Jack (Debbie) of Nibley, UT; 39 grandchildren; 117 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Deon (Chuck) Stanger and Elda (Ralph) West; her husband; a daughter, Elaine (Bob) Jackson; a daughter-in-law, JoAnn (Leon); 2 grandchildren; and 1 great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 24, 2016, at Springdale LDS Church, 517 East 200 South, Burley, with Bishop Brian Wilde officiating.

The family will receive friends at the Rasmussen Funeral Home from 6:00–8:00 p.m. Friday, and from 10:00–10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the service Saturday.

Burial will be in Gem Memorial Gardens, Burley.

Arrangements are under the direction of Rasmussen Funeral Home.