Elva Marie Atwood Allred
Elva Marie Atwood Allred passed away at home on Monday, July 10, 2017, in Orem, UT, at the age of 93, bringing to a close a long, productive, and faithful life. Elva was born to Ivan Willard and Marie Hall Atwood on December 9, 1923, in Vernal, Utah. She grew to adulthood in Ashley Ward, but took the bus to town for junior and high schools. At Uintah High School she participated in the band, playing saxophone, and excelled in typing and shorthand. Upon graduation, she declined a full scholarship to the University of Utah; and on May 28, 1941, she married her sweetheart Arvel James Allred in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
Throughout their more than 75-year marriage, Elva worked alongside Arvel in various family businesses, including service stations, tire recapping shops, and finally the food service and catering business. Following a few years in Vernal, the family lived four years in Glenwood Springs, CO, and another ten years in Manti, UT, returning to Vernal in 1963 where they owned and operated Chuck’s Drive-In until retiring in 1978. In addition to growing and preserving the majority of the family’s food and sewing all of the family’s clothing, Elva was active in the LDS Church, continuously serving in music callings, the Primary, YWMIA, and Relief Society, including multiple times as counselor and president in each. While in Manti, she received accolades as a 4-H leader and judged county fair exhibits. She was a certified Red Cross home nursing instructor, assisted in county-wide school immunization clinics, and provided home health and hospice care for many local residents and later family members.
After serving with Arvel in the Kentucky Louisville Mission, she was an ordinance worker in the Provo LDS Temple for nine years then served in the Vernal Temple from its opening in 1997 until 2012. She and Arvel continued daily temple attendance until moving to Orem when she was 92.
Elva was an exemplary mother and consummate homemaker and is remembered for her total commitment to her beloved Arvel and their children, her legendary compassionate service, her bright and creative mind, her diligent temple service, and her unwearied faithfulness.
Elva is survived by four of her five children—Peggy Strate (Lindon), Kenneth and Dixie Allred (Mt. Pleasant), Ann Hunger (West Valley City), and Ellen Allred (Orem); 21 grandchildren, 69 great and 20 great-great-grandchildren; and her siblings—Marvel Kearsley (West Point), Alice Meacham (Redding CA), and Chuck and Linda Atwood (Cloverdale, OR). She is preceded in death by her dear husband Arvel, her parents, brother Garth W. Atwood, and sibling babies Thomas and Bonnie Atwood; son Roger and daughter-in-law Joan Allred, son-in-law Kenneth Strate, one grandson, one great-grandson, and one great-great-grandson.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. in the Vernal Ninth Ward Chapel, 250 N 200 W, Vernal, UT. Visitation will be at the chapel from 10:00 to 11:15. Burial will be in the Rock Point Cemetery, under the direction of Ashley Valley Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be shared at www.AshleyValleyFuneralHome.com
