Crystal “Chris” Maxine Openshaw Anderson
Crystal Maxine (Openshaw) Anderson returned home to her Father in Heaven on March 6th, 2016. She was the fourth of six children born to Linus Vard and Josephine Antonette (Olsen) Openshaw in Vernal, Utah on April 29th, 1932.
Chris married her eternal companion, Stanley Albin Anderson, on January 16th, 1951 in the Salt Lake Temple. They spent their first year of marriage in Georgia, where Stan was going to Officer Training School. She first worked as a secretary at Basin Loans. Later, Stan joined her there when he came to work as a Loan Officer. She left Basin Loans to manage Mode O’Day Clothing Store. Subsequently she opened her own clothing store, SpotLite Fashions, where she worked for many years. The name of her store is rather ironic, because she loved to serve others, but never liked to be in the spotlight. After closing these stores, she again went to work at Basin Loans with her husband.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and had a strong testimony of the gospel and temple work. She and Stan served as missionaries to the Ute Tribe and later served members of the Bonanza Branch. She served as a primary teacher for around 40 years and loved the children she taught. She and Stan worked as directors of the Family History Center and in the Vernal Temple. She loved working at the Temple and was thankful for the opportunity to serve there. Family was her most treasured possession and her life was spent serving and loving them with an incredible Christ-like love. The job she enjoyed most, and the one she was best at, was as a short-order cook anytime of the day or night for any member of her family.
She is survived by her daughter, Lori (Kent) Ross, her son, Rodney (Terri) Anderson, grandchildren, Kristi (Eric) Wall, Trisha (Craig) Dixon, Stefni (Aaron) Young, Jeff (Amye) Ross, Kellie (Zach) Smuin, Devin (Sarah) Anderson, Kasi (Jarom) Fishburn, Niki (Justin) Evans, Scott, Derek, Dani, and Collin Anderson, and fourteen (soon to be sixteen) great-grandchildren, her sisters, Toni Reynolds and Joy Kay and a brother-in-law, Bob Van Wychen.
She is preceded in death by her husband, parents, brothers, Kermit and Vard Openshaw, sister, Betty (Openshaw) Van Wychen, brother-in-laws, Glen Reynolds and Lanny Kay, and sister-in-law, Deon (Simper) Openshaw.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 11AM at the Naples 2nd Ward LDS Ward Chapel (2313 S 1500 E) at 11AM. A viewing will be held Saturday 10:00 ~ 10:45AM at the chapel. Burial will be in the Vernal Memorial Park under the direction of the Phillips Ashley Valley Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the LDS Church General Missionary Fund.
