Lavay Larsen

LaVay Leishman Larsen, our loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at the Logan Regional Hospital from complications of lymphoma on June 1, 2011. She was born on December 29, 1927 in Logan, Utah to Elmer A. and Rena M. Leishman.
She grew up on a farm with two brothers and six sisters and learned the value of hard work. She attended Wellsville Elementary and graduated from South Cache High School and Seminary in 1946. She married her high school sweetheart Leland Wilford Larsen on March 28, 1947 in the Logan LDS Temple.
In her younger years she enjoyed dancing, going to ball games, camping out, snowmobiling, and going places with the “Mendon Gang.” She enjoyed raising her children and visiting with family, friends, and neighbors. She always welcomed people into her home and made the time to listen and converse. No matter where we were at, house, trailer, hotel room, her energetic personality always drawing people in. She liked interviewing children and reading to, playing with, and tending her grandchildren. She loved her family and she loved the Lord.
LaVay was a perfectionist at knitting, hardanger and quilting. For her handiwork, she received blue ribbons at the Cache County and Utah State Fairs. With a team of quilting sisters and cousins, she quilted on and bound hundreds of quilts. She was an avid chokecherry picker and could spot the perfect tree a mile away. There was never a meal without chokecherry jelly at the table
She was cheerful, thoughtful, generous, and willing to help others. She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of the Mendon Ward(s) and was dedicated in doing her callings in various organizations and special assignments. In her later years, she donated thousands of hours in sewing and knitting for Relief Society international humanitarian projects. When asked why she did such tedious work without knowing the benefactors, she said, “I’m sewing my way into heaven.”
She is survived by her husband of sixty-four years, Leland Wilford Larsen, and by her children and their spouses: Dixie Ann Buist, Logan; Douglas Lee Larsen (Claudia), Mendon; Janet Larsen Roberts (Gary), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Cindy Zilles (Gordon), College Ward; fifteen grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her seven brothers and sisters and their spouses: Elna (deceased)(Eldon) Nielsen, Hyrum; Courtney Leishman (Pat), Provo; Shirley Jensen (Ronald, deceased) , Mendon; Sherry Tibbitts (Elmer, deceased), Millville; Renee Bingham (Sharon), Logan; Rena Murray (John, deceased), Wellsville; Kay Leishman (Janie), Salt Lake; Linda Coleman (Jerry), Clinton. She was preceded in death by her parents, her infant brother Thomas Kent, and her older sister Elna.
The family wishes to thank all of those who have been generous and thoughtful providing food, phone calls and encouragement on her behalf. We especially would like to thank Dr. Ben-Jacobs and the staff at the Logan Regional ICU for their professional care and concern during this difficult time.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Monday, June 6 at the Mendon Stake Center, 460 S. 100 E. , Mendon, Utah. Friends and family may call Sunday evening, June 5, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Allen Hall Mortuary, 34 E. Center Street, Logan and Monday morning from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the stake center prior to services. Interment will be in the Mendon City Cemetery.