Obituary: Pearl Jeffery

Pearl Jeffery (1908 ~ 2005) OREM- Pearl Jeffery, 97, native of Delta and long-time resident of Salt Lake City, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005, in Orem, Utah, on causes incident to age. Pearl was born June 17, 1908, the second child and oldest daughter of Irvin Ether and Adaline Buchanan Jeffery. She was the first child born in the new settlement of Burtner, later Delta, Millard County, Utah. She was educated in Delta, graduating from LDS seminary in 1925 and Delta High School in 1926. After receiving her Normal (two-year) diploma and teachers certificate from Brigham Young University, she returned to Millard County where she taught for three years in Sutherland and a year in Delta. In 1932 she returned to BYU to continue towards a bachelors degree. She left in 1933 for an LDS mission in Texas, serving in Kelsey, Texas, in a combination teaching/proselyting mission. Following her mission, she continued at BYU, graduating in 1936. She returned to Delta to teach one more year, then taught three years in Duchesne. She moved to Salt Lake City in 1940 and was employed at the Genealogical Society of the Church. She remained there for over three decades as a professional genealogist. She was the family genealogist as well, and worked tirelessly in compiling records of her ancestors, that a record of their lives and achievements might be preserved for their descendants. This included a trip to England after she retired, where she obtained additional family records. Recent years have seen the culmination of her many years of work, as she was instrumental in the publication of three volumes of family history and Special Stories of Faith of the family. She served as an ordinance worker in the Salt Lake Temple for 24 years. She also served in the Church as a teacher and board member in stake and ward auxiliaries. She was an active member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP). Though she never married, she was the greatest aunt anyone could ever have. She counts as her posterity her 44 nieces and nephews and their growing families. She paid special attention to each one. She is survived by a brother, Jay (Bonnie) Jeffery, Morgan, Utah. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Orvil, Eldro, Iliff, Irvin W., and Rondo Jeffery, and sister Zerma J. Schlappi Tripp, and their spouses. Special thanks are expressed to her nephew, Larry S Jeffery, and his wife, Raili, also Gena and Allen Jeffery and their family, who cared for her the past five years in their home in Orem. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005, at the Lake-ridge 3rd Ward LDS Chapel, 158 E. 1100 S., Orem, at 11:00 a.m. Friends and family may call at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 So. State, Orem, on Friday, Nov. 18, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the services. Interment will be in the Delta City Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com.