Obituary: RICH, EFFIE

Effie Dean Bowman Rich1923 - 2013Effie Dean Bowman Rich was born in the Southern Utah town of Kanab on June 22, 1923 to Harold I. and Nina Nixon Bowman. In that same year her parents established Jacob Lake Inn on the Kaibab Plateau, 44 miles from the North Rim of Grand Canyon. This event was probably the most pivotal in her life. She lived in Kanab with her parents and her younger brother Harold Jr. until she was six years old. The family moved to Salt Lake City in 1929, thus beginning a lifetime of spending the tourist season at Jacob Lake Inn and the school year in Salt Lake.Effie Dean attended Stewart School through the 9th grade and then went to East High School, graduating in 1940. She got her BS in Nursing, and was in the first graduating class of the College of Nursing at the University of Utah. She married John P. Rich for time and all eternity on December 21, 1946 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Their first child, John Jr. was born in 1947. In 1948, at the age of 5, our Navajo sister Bonnie joined our family. Then followed the births of Nina, Steven, Chris, Mary Lynne and Matt.How do we summarize the life of Effie Dean Bowman Rich? Because she really had two lives, the Salt Lake City one and the one at Jacob Lake Inn, her life was wide ranging. She had friends who were doctors and lawyers, cowboys and even Indian chiefs. At Jacob Lake she had a pet porcupine named Mike, kept Kaibab squirrels, and rode horses all over the mountain. She once made the statement that, "If you can't get there on horseback, it isn't worth going." She spent a summer living in the Hopi village of Oraibi at the invitation of the Chief. Over the years at Jacob Lake she met the Prince of Siam, watched her Uncle Dev race cars with Clark Gable, and visited in the lobby with Gerald and Betty Ford. She and her family have employed thousands of young people since 1923. She was a somewhat demanding employer who required her staff to give their best and work hard. She was a lot of fun, but expected excellence from every Jacob Laker. Her real purpose was to enrich the lives of the "Staff", to expose them to every experience it was within her power to give. She took them to Snake Dances on the Hopi Reservation, and to see Ballet West perform in Zion. She strove to teach the kids to anticipate the consequences of their actions, and the need to be considerate. She really was so much fun- when the monsoon rains came in July she was the one to start the water fights. It has been deeply touching to see the messages pour in from Jacob Lakers in the days since her death: "She taught me so much", "She was one of the greatest influences in my life", "She made me just the right amount of uncomfortable". Mom's Salt Lake City life was something of a contrast. She spent a summer doing summer stock theater in Martha's Vineyard. She loved the theater, and performed in several productions at the U. She was active in DUP, Bonneville Knife and Fork Club, was a PTA President, and especially loved the association she and Dad shared with his Brazilian Missionary Group. She loved her Book Club, and usually hosted their Christmas party at her huge dining room table. She looked forward to going home at the end of each season to catch up with her friends and continue in her treasured associations. A member of the LDS Yale/Yale II Ward for 84 years, she held the longest membership in the ward.Mom loved holidays, especially Christmas, and was a thoughtful and loving gift giver. She adored April Fools and parties. She was absolutely devoted to her family, both immediate and extended, and considered her cousins to be like brothers and sisters. She was a profound influence on her grandchildren. She taught them things like: "People do what they know, and if you know better, you do better" and "Capable, capable, capable". Once when she was a little late for her plane (and wasn't she always just a little late?), the airline brought the plane, which had already started to taxi, back to the gate for her. The Kaibab road crew found out she was driving to Jacob one snowy night and radioed to each other to keep the road cleared for Mrs. Rich. She's the only mother we know who took her children to play in a flash flood rather than warning them to stay away from it. The Native Americans of the Arizona Strip area benefited from her personal generosity and influence. In 2011 The Symphony of the Canyons honored her with a symphony at Grand Canyon for her contribution to the history of the Kaibab Plateau, and in August of 2012 the city of Kanab honored her as a Western Legend as part of their annual Western Legend Roundup. The greatest force in Mother's life was the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her deep faith and understanding of the Gospel allowed her to overcome personal trials and to stand as a witness and example to others. She was a marvelous Primary and Relief Society teacher. She said that if you knew the truth, that knowledge required you to act in accordance with it and teach it to others. It was important to her to be a woman of consequence and, throughout her life in both words and actions, she was. Her favorite saying was "Walk with Light", and Mom, you always did.She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Harold, her husband, and her grandson Michael B. Taylor. She is survived by her children: John P. Rich Jr. (Kristi), Nina R. Taylor (Grant), Steven H. Rich (Melinda), Christopher B. Rich (Mary Frances), Mary Lynne Rich Jensen (Bryan), and Matthew E. Rich (Shayne) and by her beloved grand and great grandchildren. We wish to thank the many capable and caring medical professionals who lovingly helped Mom over the past few weeks. You made such a difference in the last stage of her life.A Viewing will be held on Friday, November 1 from 6:00-8:30 PM at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary (2350 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City). There will be a visitation Saturday, November 2 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM prior to the funeral which will begin at noon at the LDS Bonneville Stake Center, 1535 East Bonneview Drive, Salt Lake City.